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Frozen Glugs/Water - read and post it here!

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Hi,

 

I apologise in advance if this has been asked already (I have quickly scanned the forum).

 

I know this is a stupid question but does anyone have any tips on stopping the chooks water from freezing in this cold snap ??? The only thing we have thought of is going out on ice duty to break things up, but am worried in case the girls fancy a night time drink :think::think:

 

Thank you x

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I'm having exactly the same problem. I tried putting cod liver oil in the water - no effect! I have also tried whiskey (about cap ful to a glug) which has sort of worked previously, but then this morning the glug was absolutely frozen solid. I've got a spare, so can swap them over, but it's a bigger problem during the day, as I'm out all day and am worried that the glug will refreeze pretty quick. Has anyone got any suggestions? (Ive thought about using a battery air pump to try to keep the water moving, but doubt the batteries would last all day).

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I have bought a small "ordinary" chook drinker (a mushroom drinker - flytesofancy sell them, about £4), am going to experiment with putting that actually in the eglu in the hope it won't freeze. The danger is that the chooks will knock it over, (or even won't work out it's there/or how to use it) but I can but try. Will let you know how it goes ...

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I've started emptying the drinker out when the chooks have gone to bed and bringing it in (might as well as I'm already bringing the feeder in) and filling it up in the morning when I go to let the girls out of the coop. I'd rather do this than try to break the ice every morning and at least they'll get a clean drinker and fresh water every morning.

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I've started emptying the drinker out when the chooks have gone to bed and bringing it in (might as well as I'm already bringing the feeder in) and filling it up in the morning when I go to let the girls out of the coop. I'd rather do this than try to break the ice every morning and at least they'll get a clean drinker and fresh water every morning.

 

I'm the same, get in from work 5.15, check for eggs, check chickens and crops, poo pick what I can. Tell them nighty nighty sleepy tighty then close the door. Quick tidy of the run remove water and breakfast bowl.

In the morning, fresh warm water and warm mash/prooidge. Top up pellets then open the door and watch the squabble over breakfast whilst I try to clean the night poo out . Head count and a quick cuddle then off to work again.

 

Sage

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the best solution I tried last year was to use the round tubs you get the Marks and Spencers munchy cake bites in, the tubs that washing tablets come in are good too

 

Put some cable ties through the wire to make a loop that the pot sits snugly in

 

Use a ping pong ball to keep the water surface moving

 

The benefits of the pots is that they are wider at the top so if they do freeze they are eay to empty and also it doesnt matter if they split in the frost

 

Another thing I found useful was to buy another lot of drinkers to swap them in regularly

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I asked the same question a few days ago - I'd love to find a practical way of stopping the water freezing. I'm also trying to plan ahead to when we might have a night away, and not be around first thing in the morning to de-ice the Glug. (By the way, putting in warm water won't help freezing time. Hot / warm water actually freezes quicker than cold.)

 

I can't think of anything to put in the water that the chickens wouldn't try to eat! And some sort of bespoke candle heating system isn't an option. Haven't found a workable solution yet.....!

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yes it was a quality street type tin (other chocolate confectionary products are available......) with some sand in and a tealight, lid put back on top and drinker stood on that

 

Personally I wouldnt try it but others have with some success

 

Not sure if you'd have to drill some holes in the tin to let air in as the flame shouldnt be able to survive otherwise

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Like Redwing, I tend to use a ping pong ball in my glug - the wind tends to blow it around the glug a bit.

 

I read somewhere that hot water can actually freeze more quickly than cold water (or perhaps I watched it on QI or something...) - it's known as the Mbemba effect, or so Wikipedia says.

 

There again, I suppose it depends on how hot 'hot' is.

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I use one of those Omlet drinker / feeder stands for my Glug and Grub and just pick the whole thing up when I shut up the girls and take it inside. During the day I then put it out in a sunny spot which at the moment is just warm enough to keep the water from freezing. (Of course I wouldn't put it in the sun during the summer though).

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