Geese and Ice

[Oregon Blues]

I thought this was interesting.

It was 20 degrees overnight and everybody has frozen water, except for the geese.

They have 3 buckets and a big rubber tub and a stock tank. None of them were frozen this morning. All of them had a thick layer of ice up around the edge where water had been splashed up and frozen to the rim of the container.

It looks to me like the geese spent the night agitating the water to keep it from freezing.

Unlike the poor ducks who rushed out this morning and jumped into their pond, only to find themselves standing on top of the water. That got me a lot of loud complaints.

 

[Yetti]

I had frozen hoses Sunday morning. the geese got a treat when it started thawing. they were actually eating the chunks of ice that came out of the hose.

 

[Poultrycrazy mom]

Wow, thats cool

 

[pete55]

Sounds like it can be the only explanation that they kept the movement going in their water. 20 below! I guess its time I faced reality and accepted Winter's on its way especially after seeing the early snowfall on the UK News!

Pete

 

[Highlander]

Quote:
Say what now?

 

[pete55]

Dont panic yet Highlander it was the early snowfall in the eastern USA that I meant. However all the forecast models are predicting another severe Winter for the UK

 

[Oregon Blues]

I went out to feed this morning and one of this year's geese is covered head to toe in ice. He looks like someone set a sprinkler on him overnight.

Water buckets are frozen. I suspect I know who was agitating the water to keep it from freezing and has since decided it isn't worth it.

The ice all over him doesn't seem to be bothering him. That down jacket really keeps them warm.

 

[pete55]

Sure sounds like you've found your ice breaker

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
You UK [and Canada] types have got to remember the USA is sticking to the Fahrenheit temperature scale where water freezes at 32 degrees. Where I am the night temp may sink to -4C or so and the day temp up to maybe +8C.? My big old African gander thought it was his duty and right to break the ice in the kiddy pools when he was released from the barn in the morning. Funny as all get out to see him jumping up and down on the ice crust like a kid on a trampoline. If he hadn't broken it up by 7:30 when I had to leave for work I would break it with a hoe. My pool was fairly close to the fence so I could break the Ice in the morning and refill the pool in the afternoon when it had warmed without getting in the pen because that bird would hold a grudge! When he broke through he would do the victory dance.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thjis morning the pool was frozen and one of my chickens was ice skating.