[Bright Raven]

What do you do to keep the water drinkers from chugging up with ice?

Ours were over an inch thick with ice inside the container walls this morning so I cleaned them all out with hot water and refilled them. They were full of ice again this evening.

I have another drinker causing me a problem. The design is like a barrel with a thin 20 cm tube that feeds the water down into a bowl. It is hopeless in this weather.

[northfifeduckling]

someone recommended a drop of glycerine. I tried that last year but with the duck bowls it was pretty useless. I suppose you can try any liquid fat, like a bit of sunflower oil? It will give the birds a bit of extra warmth, too. 

[little blue]

no secrets here, we do exactly as you do!  wish there was a better, more efficient way but I cant think of it...

[meebh]

Hi we have the same drip feed drinkers and they are just a frozen block of ice!!  They are fab in the summer as they hold 30 litres each but this is our first winter with them.  Today we have been going up every now and then with bowls of fresh slightly warm water and hoping they are eating enough snow  .  They seem to be enjoying the odd mouthful of snow.  Wish there was a solution to free flowing fresh water at minus 10 degrees 

[daddymatty82]

i only got small 5 ltr drinkers so i bring them in at night then have a cup of warm water added every hour to de-ice the ring

[doganjo]

I use a big old plastic dog bed - so a pointy stick poked in now and then works.

[Bright Raven]

OH has just raided the pantry for the vegetable oil, great tip, we will let you know how we get on.

We have abandoned our drip feeders for shallow buckets, they are brilliant in the summer but just useless in these conditions. 

I shall be stopping at the co-op to pick up some lard after work tomorrow so I can make up some oaty fat slabs. They have always been a winter winner.

[doganjo]

Oil works until it snows

[benkt]

I poured cold water into one of my frozen plastic water drinkers and it just shattered! Might have to try the oil trick.

BTW what's the recipe for 'oaty fat slabs'? I might give them a whirl too.

[DJ_Chook]

I've got those 30L drinkers & they are all frozen solid. Several pens, with several drinkers is a logistical nightmare. Yesterday before I let everyone out, I took out the kettle(several times) and melted the block of ice in the pan. Then I was out there every 2 hours with warm water to top the pans up.

[Sylvia]

Would a few layers of hoticultural fleece with straw in between work?

[northfifeduckling]

I watched my hens popping their heads out and eating snow - they will not die of thirst 

[CameronS]

Get a terracotta plant pot, one with a hole in the top, raid it off the floor enough to allow a small draft underneath, put 3/4 tea lights under and light them, then put a shallow, fire proof pot on top.

i used this last year, it works well until Snow really drifts around it. blocking the ventilation

[SussexRanger]

Ive given up with my usual drinkers. My call ducks now have a washing up bowl re-filled fresh every morning, and the same with the hens. This works for me fortunetatly its not cold enough for the water in hens run to re-freeze. When i put the animals to bed aswell i empty the water out so i dont have to deal with ice in the morning!

[Daveravey]

I just bring my drinkers into the house for a wee while to thaw out & put back out again.

I don't use hot or warm water for thawing anything, as it freezes quicker than cold