Ashmeads Kernel Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 How do folk cope with frozen water in drinkers? Mine are frozen up for the first time. I have a cube and are surprised there is no provision for attaching a drinker inside the coup, where it would be protected from frost. I could make a bracket to hold the Eglu drinker, and glue it to the rear panel. Thanks for any thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I think the general consensus is that water in the coop will just make a mess. You can buy these heaters that you can add to the Glug. But you need to plug it in somewhere. I decided that the christmas lighting I put up on the run (to give the ladies a bit more light, when I let them out in the morning) can also double as a water defroster. I can just loop a small part of the tube light through the Glug. It doesn't get very warm, but maybe enough to keep the water from freezing completely. Have to still try this out. But it hasn't been that cold here yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I use gravity drinkers, hung from the roof of the run; when it is very cold, I bring them in at night (to prevent them freezing and splitting) during the daytime, they are elevated on a couple of bricks with a heated snugglesafe under the drinker to prevent it freezing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I just bring mine in at night if a very heavy frost is forecast, and put it back in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I give water in open containers in frosty weather, ice cream tubs, margarine tubs, foil takeaway trays etc are all saved, the very best are the tubs that the mini brownies/flapjacks etc come in at M&S (the two for £4 type of thing) in the bigger pens I use washing up bowls Anything slightly narrower at the bottom means frozen water just slides out easily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 We use bowls and add hot water during the day if they are freezing. At night we empty them and refill in the morning. It's a lot of work though but we have had drinkers split overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Forgot to take the Glug in last night and it was almost frozen solid this morning. Hopefully it won't be as cold today as it was last night, but might need to go home a bit early to see if they still have water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Just an aside: Water in the coop itself is bad for the chooks. They give off a lot of heat in the night, and this reacts with the cold water to create vapour. This can cause respiratory problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 When I know it is going to Freeze overnight , I bring the glugs in and put fresh water out in the morning. When winter really takes hold I use my spare glugs and put fresh water out through the day to avoid them freezing . This year up to now despite frosty mornings the water hasn't frozen . And I refuse to think of really frozen mornings until they arrive brrrrr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PixieDust Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Not experienced a big freeze yet with my girls but I have brought in food and water every night to deter foxes and rats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GillC Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I've always had spare glugs which I have filled with fresh water each morning and swapped with the frozen ones. However recently I've had to be away overnight and have panicked about my chickens having no water. A friend kindly lent me a poultry lamp she had had for her cats when they were sleeping in an unheated outhouse. I tried it out and it works a treat - glugs outside were frozen solid whilst those inside were liquid. I've included some photos here http://connectedpeasant.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/hen-brothel-in-my-garden.html. The lamp is for indoor use, so I've put it in the middle of the WIR well covered from the elements. The extension lead to which the lamp plugs in is housed in an eglu that is outside of the WIR to keep the connections good and dry (obviously the hens aren't using it). As an interim solution for freezing weather, it works well. The lamp has the interesting side-effect of making the end of my garden look like a little chicken red-light district Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheshire Hen Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I have a heated dog dish that I'd be lost without! It doesn't use many watts, and just keeps the water melted. Of course you need to run an extension cord to it, and it gets dirty quicker since it's just an open dish, but it's so worth it during these weeks that it doesn't get above freezing at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...