Salt in a water bottle

[RodNTN]

Welcome to BYC!

I am glad you joined us, best wishes!

 

[CuzChickens]

Hello there, and welcome to the wonderful world of Backyard Chickens! I hope you will make yourself at home here and enjoy it as much as I have!

 

[Daox13]

welcome!

Now I have some questions and theories on this subject. I saw someone post about it on facebook and got to thinking about it and I'm a skeptic.

not because of the water freezing but for the health of the chickens. the goal is to prevent freezing to take away from the amount of time needed to constantly check on it, but I feel like adding a polluted bottle of water into pure water would make me want to check MORE than before.

plastic bottles rarely hold up well to elements, extreme heat and extreme cold that very rapidly. Typically you would chill it then drink it but to through it out in freezing and thawing temps and set it and forget it is a recipe for a crack or leak and then a flock of salt poisoned chickens. that is simple not a risk I would hope many would take.

You can run a 40watt bulb and place in a cookie tin and throw and extension cord out there and you have safe thawed water for pennies a month.

 

[New2COchicks]

I read somewhere that if you put salt in a water bottle and put it in their water outside it will keep it from freezing. Has anyone heard this?

So yesterday was 16 degrees and water didn’t freeze over completely for 6 hours with bottle too big to bobble. I added even more salt today and now the bottle itself is really not freezing. No salt is going into the pan as it’s enclosed. It won’t be in there every day as the temp will rise. Today it’s 9 degrees and for 4 hours so far they still have access to water with a little freezing over but still can get it. I think the more salt the more it doesn’t freeze and those who say it doesn't work put very little salt in bottle. Yesterday is the first time I had ever tried it and it worked for me which is good as I work all day.

 

[TwoCrows]

So yesterday was 16 degrees and water didn’t freeze over completely for 6 hours with bottle too big to bobble. I added even more salt today and now the bottle itself is really not freezing. No salt is going into the pan as it’s enclosed. It won’t be in there every day as the temp will rise. Today it’s 9 degrees and for 4 hours so far they still have access to water with a little freezing over but still can get it. I think the more salt the more it doesn’t freeze and those who say it doesn't work put very little salt in bottle. Yesterday is the first time I had ever tried it and it worked for me which is good as I work all day.

I would use extreme caution with salt. Its dehydrating, especially if they do or don't drink, as well as chickens can not process salt and it will cause kidney problems. Excess salt will lead to heart disease in poultry.

 

[sourland]

Can you show a picture of what you are doing ? It is imperative that the drinking water not be contaminated by the salt.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Welcome to our FUN-omenal Flock!

Best Wishes & Be Well!

 

[swampfox440]

It will not work if the temp gets low for several days salt water freezes at 28.4 . Many variables here . I wouldn't use it if you paid me to . Just my opinion . around here it can go down to -20 and stay there for a week or so . I saw that video on youtube about it .

 

[swampfox440]

It will not work if the temp gets low for several days salt water freezes at 28.4 . Many variables here . I wouldn't use it if you paid me to . Just my opinion . around here it can go down to -20 and stay there for a week or so . I saw that video on youtube about it .

I almost forgot Welcome to BYC! have a great day .

 

[swampfox440]

I almost forgot Welcome to BYC! have a great day .