Keeping water from freezing

[KeithKZ]

Just curious what any of you who live in the northern climates like I do, do about keeping the water from freezing for your quail. I have some electric rabbit waterers but the quail just dont want to drink from it. I'm open to any homemade inventions. My quail are in a 3 tiered cabinet pen. I have electric but no running water. Looking for the least messy method too.

I am currently using a gravity watering system but it freezes very easily once it leaves my container and goes into the tubing.

 

[Tanira2]

If you add Apple cider vinegar it shouldn't freeze and is good for the birds

 

[paneubert]

If you add Apple cider vinegar it shouldn't freeze and is good for the birds

Unfortunately this will only help a tiny bit. The freezing point of vinegar is 28 degrees Fahrenheit. And that is pure. Diluting it in water will most likely bring you back to within a fraction of a degree of the "normal" water freezing temperature.

I think the major issue with the gravity feed shown is that the tubes are so small in diameter, and they are so exposed. I think the only good solution with the current system is to insulate the lines, or to somehow heat the water. But even heating would not help much since the water in the lines will cool quickly. Movement would help, but there is no good way to do that since this system gravity feeds into bowls.

 

[KeithKZ]

Right. I thought about changing it to PVC piping because then I could apply some of that electric heat tape to the PVC and the bottom of the bowls. I'd still need to use small lengths of that vinyl tubing I'm using how to go from the PVC to attach to each cup though. I could also use that heat tape on my water container.