[Jane-M]

Oh Tam - if only! Surface freezing yes the plastic ball works well as they like to peck it, but I can have a full washing up bowl of water freeze solid in half a day when it's cold.

[poultrygeist]

I've found a couple of links to ideas. The first seems a bit elaborate and I've no idea if the 2nd one would work or not...

LINK1

LINK2 Option 2, digging holes.

Good luck !

Rob

[desandchez]

thanks for all the great replies we have placed a tennis ball in the bowl as for ther drinker we take it down each night and place it in the green house with a parafin heater. with the weather about to get colder we will have to wait and see

[tam]

Oh Tam - if only! Surface freezing yes the plastic ball works well as they like to peck it, but I can have a full washing up bowl of water freeze solid in half a day when it's cold.

Eep, sounds chilly! Doesn't usually get that bad here luckily. My water rabbit bottles usually stay okay with just an insulated cover.

Tam

[sunshinemedic]

thanks for all the great replies we have placed a tennis ball in the bowl as for ther drinker we take it down each night and place it in the green house with a parafin heater. with the weather about to get colder we will have to wait and see

If you're in Leatherhead, chances are all you will need to do most of the tme is have a small drinker in the coop itself. So far the temperature has gone down to minus 5 degrees C in my part of surrey and the coop has kept my water supplies from freezing.

I obviously cannot comment on the conditions in further north!

[desandchez]

well it was -8 this morning the water in the bowl with the tennis ball was a complete failiure the water in the greenhouse saved the day,still with the temp this low we will just keep checking through out the day

[monarch]

I have tried veg oil..no success...I remember when I was younger that and old guy used to add  something called liqiud parrafin...I think it was a medicine of some kind but I have'nt tried it, my father in law says you used to get it as a LAXATIVE

[desandchez]

well nothing has worked well so far. so now i think its time to develope one of the links from a previous message, my plan is this, we have two wooden plant tubs which were half beer barrels,i'll empty one out when she is not looking invert it cut out a piece like a mouse hole, place it on a platform about 9-12 inches off the ground put a container of water water close to the mouse hole cut out, and a parafin hurican lamp the other side the barrel is placed over the whole lot might have to drill a few air holes i'll let you know how i get on

[poultrygeist]

Be careful. Don't want any fires  :shock:

If you can take photos, it might be of use to other members. Well done for giving it a go  

Rob

[Ygerna]

Ive been using one of these..

http://www.oscardehn.com/motherandchild/handwarmers.asp

I top the water up in the morning, then late morning I activate the handwarmer and pop it into the water container. It seems to keep it from freezing, then when I shut them up for the night, I take it out, and re-activate it ready for the next day. Seems to be working, the water was still clear when I went out tonight to shut them in.

[Foxy]

Ive been using one of these..

http://www.oscardehn.com/motherandchild/handwarmers.asp

I top the water up in the morning, then late morning I activate the handwarmer and pop it into the water container. It seems to keep it from freezing, then when I shut them up for the night, I take it out, and re-activate it ready for the next day. Seems to be working, the water was still clear when I went out tonight to shut them in.

what a fantastic idea! Do you mind reposting in the winter tip sticky??? stop it getting lost    

[karlooben]

there  is another solution to try and reading your posts made me think of it although i havent tried it yet .

for those who can get hold of horse manure or even compost soil, place it in a bucket an then somehow place your water over the top so that niether the water container or the chocks cant push it in or over an then let the natural heat from the source keep the water from freezing .maybe wrap the bucket in an old blanket or sheet of materail that will keep the warmth in more , and u know what i am going to try this tmorw although i havent really had a probelm with my water freezing all that much an we have been down to -3. i used to do this sort of thing many years ago at the stables to stop our main taps an pipes from freezing .

[Ygerna]

Ive been using one of these..

http://www.oscardehn.com/motherandchild/handwarmers.asp

I top the water up in the morning, then late morning I activate the handwarmer and pop it into the water container. It seems to keep it from freezing, then when I shut them up for the night, I take it out, and re-activate it ready for the next day. Seems to be working, the water was still clear when I went out tonight to shut them in.

what a fantastic idea! Do you mind reposting in the winter tip sticky??? stop it getting lost    

all done

[Jane-M]

Sorry to be a worry guts - the handwarmer contains sodium acetate. If it leaked into the water would it harm the birds? It does look a very elegant solution though.  Unlike mine - I am testing it over night to see if I can use it tomorrow while I am at work. Will post pics and explanation if it is successful.

[Foxy]

Ive been using one of these..

http://www.oscardehn.com/motherandchild/handwarmers.asp

I top the water up in the morning, then late morning I activate the handwarmer and pop it into the water container. It seems to keep it from freezing, then when I shut them up for the night, I take it out, and re-activate it ready for the next day. Seems to be working, the water was still clear when I went out tonight to shut them in.

what a fantastic idea! Do you mind reposting in the winter tip sticky??? stop it getting lost    

all done

thanks!