how to stop birds drinking water freezing?

[DJ]

can any of you old hands give me any tips on how i can prevent my drinkers freezing overnight apart from using heating pads ?  my drinkers have been frozen solid for the last couple of mornings and any ideas would be appreciated as im sometimes away from the loft for long periods  :-/   debbie

[OLDYELLOW]

i use the big domed drinkers because the water fills itself by gravity they are harder to freeze unless nearly empty , ping pong bals can be put in drinkers as they will roll around the surface will be harder to ice over

[whiteracer]

can any of you old hands give me any tips on how i can prevent my drinkers freezing overnight apart from using heating pads ?  my drinkers have been frozen solid for the last couple of mornings and any ideas would be appreciated as im sometimes away from the loft for long periods  :-/   debbie

 

Having the same problem,as working shifts everytime i get to go in the loft the drinkers are frozen i must have split about half a dozen plastic drinkers while tring to bang the ice out  >

[newbold]

i use cider vinigar in water it does stop from freezing   in loft

[grizzal]

I was once told go to the loft when dark and empty, then fill before going to

work, it saves splitting the  plastic drinkers as mentioned

[peterpau]

I was once told go to the loft when dark and empty, then fill before going to

work, it saves splitting the  plastic drinkers as mentioned

 

That sounds like a very good idea.

 

 

[REDROCKET]

the birds dont drink through the night anyway so why not remove drinkers from loft at night and return them with fresh water in the morning(shrug)(shrug)

[OLDYELLOW]

thats all well and good removing at night if you arent breeding but i wouldnt advise it if they are breeding as could disturb birds enough to come of there nests

[peterpau]

And if your gonna breed at this time of the year maybe you should have the heating on

[Guest bigda]

get that old polystyrene,   you get from washing machines  the block type  and from telly's shape it to fit around your drinkers and it will help  it from freezing just leave one access hole

[kirky]

I have dome drinkers got them off oldyellow and he is right thay dont freeze up.

[Guest j.bamling]

just throw out the water after feeding the birds wait ten minutes make sure the birds have had a drink then throw it out fill them up next morning fresh !!!

[mark proctor]

1 heap table spoon of glucose..stear well...and dont anyone laugh..it works.. ;)

[Guest redwhiteblue]

1 heap table spoon of glucose..stear well...and dont anyone laugh..it works.. ;)

 

lol  ha ha he he

[Guest]

it maybe that the ques. is bieng asked for some who race in allotments and it comtinues to freeze throughout the day when they are at work then the birds are without water all day and as most are not back from work untill dark and with no lights available its very important to get this sorted out

[OLDYELLOW]

it maybe that the ques. is bieng asked for some who race in allotments and it comtinues to freeze throughout the day when they are at work then the birds are without water all day and as most are not back from work untill dark and with no lights available its very important to get this sorted out

 

i used to be on an alotment and quite alot the stand pipe would freeze so i used to fill a big barrel and syphon my water of from the barrel and the dome drinkers were effective at not freezing

[Larry Lucas]

Take a look at Linda's website. This is something I used to do when I lived in Minnesota. Works great!

 

http://www.redroselofts.com/water_heater.htm

[andrew gooch]

good evening im in the same boat leaving at 5am arrive home at 4.45pm young in the nest.

                                                   (NOTGOOD)

have to rely on missis and young lad

thanks to them thay do a great job even clean out

but a solution would be much appreciated

[DJ]

thanks everyone for all the info  i will try the glucose as i have some handy in the cupboard but any more tips will be appreciated   i was going to try glycerine as i heard that it stops drinking water freezing but i definately wont be trying it after logging on to www.dooyoo.co.uk/archive-general/hanging-birdbath/433549/-48k    check it out -weird post or what ;D     debbie

[Guest Owen]

I make sure that I empty the drinkers last thing at night, before they freeze. Then in the morning I fill to a point just below half full. If there is freezing weather during the day it is easy to top up with more water to overcome them freezing during the day. This is the most efficient way I know. If possible site the drinkers in a position where the sun can get at them early in the day. This helps.

 

I know that it is desirable to have drinking water available all day, but the critical times are after a feed. That is assuming that you hand feed. If you hopper feed the critical times are early in the day and late in the day when they are topping up ready for their night.

[harky]

have you tried a pocket hand warmer under the drinker they can heat for 25 hours , found them on amazon.co.uk ,just a thaught they might do  

[Guest Freebird]

get that old polystyrene,   you get from washing machines  the block type  and from telly's shape it to fit around your drinkers and it will help  it from freezing just leave one access hole

 

Great idea. I use cider vinegar which works down to about -2 but last night -8 and the water was frozen over. Mine are 2 litre domes with covered well ( the type with six access holes ) so may be quite difficult to cover but the idea is good.

 

[Peckedhen]

Mine are the same. I wonder if that garden fleece would work if we wrapped a few layers around and cut a hole in?  It's supposed to stop the frost getting to plants so it might.  For me, it's easier to carry the water in at night and put it back out in the morning.

[schyphos]

DJ Thanks for putting up that link in your last post.The last few paragraphs were very funny.lol

[Peckedhen]

Funny?? :-/   Warped more like!!