How do you prevent your water trough from freezing?

How do you prevent your water trough from freezing? How do you prevent the water in your chicken waterers from freezing?

In winter, when the temperature drops below 0°C, the water in its reservoirs tends to freeze. It can be a water trough, rainwater troughs or any other type of container. And as you probably know, breaking the ice is an energy-intensive activity. So here are some techniques to keep your waterer from freezing.

1. Create a float from a plastic bottle

There's nothing better than a floating plastic bottle to keep your waterer from freezing. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Collect an old plastic bottle and its cap;
2. Fill it with water and a cup of salt. The added salt will prevent the water from freezing inside the bottle;
3. Float this plastic bottle in your pet's water trough.

Because the water inside the bottle is less likely to freeze, it will move around in the reservoir, preventing your pets' water from freezing!

Important: the larger your container, the more bottles you will need to add.

2. Make a DIY anti-freeze bell

The second technique to prevent your waterer from freezing is to make an anti-freeze bell.

For this you will need:
- A polystyrene box and its lid;
- A cutter and a pen;
- Of a solid and thick straw;
- A hot glue gun;
- And a bowl.

To consolidate your DIY anti-freeze solution , start by removing the lid of the polystyrene box. Then turn it over and place your blog upside down in the center of the lid. Then draw a circle using the pen. Once the circle has been drawn, cut it cleanly with a cutter. You will get the underside of your anti-freeze bell.

Take the body of your polystyrene crate and turn it over. In its center, make a small hole using the pen until it exceeds the other side. Then, place a thick straw in the hole you just made. Make it exceed 5 centimeters on the other side of the lid. Finally, glue the lid and its box with the hot glue gun. There you go: your anti-freeze bell is operational, you can place it in your water trough (hole down) or in your pond.

3. Prefer a large waterer rather than a small bucket

Regarding the size of your drinker, prefer a fairly large size. The more water it has, the less quickly it will freeze in winter. Also, remember to place the drinker in the sun during the day. Thus, it will receive much more heat and will be less likely to freeze at nightfall.

A few more ideas for chicken farmers...

Most hens do not drink water at night. At bedtime, empty the water from the drinker and give them fresh water in the morning. Without water, your drinker won't freeze! However, if you leave water on all night and break the ice in the morning, it may freeze quickly with each new cold snap.

You can also invest in antifreeze trays . This lid is placed on the water trough and comes to spread heat inside. Also, it will not warm the water in it. This will simply keep it frost free.

Want more tips for maintaining your waterer in winter? So browse our blog for expert tips and advice!