Question Worried about chicken water drinkers freezing over winter when going away

Mark

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Hey guys,

I got this question on my blog (article about caring for chickens when you go away on holidays) from Angela:

Thank you for all the advice but I'm going away around Christmas much colder weather so I'm worried about water freezing and warmth ??Any,suggestions ??

I couldn't answer her question because I've never had experience keeping chickens in a really cold climate before so I wonder if anyone can offer some advice or suggestions?
 

stevo

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You know what this calls for Mark? A Thermal Battery! :cheers::hysterical:

But seriously, it may be worth investigating ways to retain heat or transfer heat, ... thermal mass etc etc.

Chickens don't drink at night so after 5pm you don't need water? Only from Sunrise to dusk.

or don't people put salt it water to stop it freezing or lower the freezing temps?

rambling again :rolleyes:
 

Mark

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Yeah a thermal battery would do the trick :twothumbsup:

I'm thinking about some sort of low voltage heating element like a heat mat or something similar to those greenhouse seedling warmers which kicks in at a certain temperature.

It could be used to keep chicken drinkers from freezing over and even provide warmth for nesting boxes etc. Low heat and low voltage should be safe enough to leave when you go away on a short holiday wouldn't ya think?
 

Ken W.

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We get down to minus 7C overnight at times here during winter which causes our waterlines and paddock troughs to freeze up overnight. Our water supply in the chook house is a 20 litre drum sitting on a concrete floor which provides a thermal mass (could also be deemed to be a thermal battery ;)). I've never seen the drip-feeders attached to the drum frozen. (And yes, I do get out early enough on those cold mornings.) So a thermal mass is the answer but that is dependent upon the mass heating throughout the day. I use a 240v heat mat in my nursery throughout winter for seedlings so that could be an option as previously suggested.
 

Mark

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We get down to minus 7C overnight at times here during winter
Crikey! I can imagine how cold that would be.

It's interesting how other water stations freeze up but the drum and attachments don't but I suppose apart from the stored heat in the concrete being under cover/enclosed would help too.
 
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