Experiment!

[Snadger]

Sick of my water containers (buckets, belfast sinks and washing up bowls) freezing up.
Broke a plastic washing up bowl today trying to de-ice it and clean it out.
I have some black plastic 1 gallon bleach cartons waiting for a use at the allotment.
Cut a hole about 4 inches dianeter in the side of three of them, added cider vinegar and topped up to the top with water.
Placed one INSIDE each of the three coops so that if the outdoor water freezes at least they will have something to drink.
Being inside and with a percentage of cider vinegar, hopefully these will not freeze.
We shall see.

[tlck9]

I have placed a small drip of cod liver oil into the water, this shouldnt freeze, so hopefully this will stop all or part of the water freezing

[OllieMartin]

I've read that mixing sugar with the water will lower its freezing point.
More research is needed I fear.

[Snadger]

I've read that mixing sugar with the water will lower its freezing point.
More research is needed I fear.

Sounds good Ollie............it would also give them a much needed energy boost! (been feeding them raisins today for the same effect,hopefully)

[Flummery]

Mine still freezes even with cider vinegar. Fortunately it's about 20 paces from the back door but I know you're not able to do anything about yours in between visits. I believe glycerine can help but I don't know how much you need.

[OllieMartin]

Sounds good Ollie............it would also give them a much needed energy boost! (been feeding them raisins today for the same effect,hopefully)

Well hopefully we'll have a full scientific report from The Snadger Laboratory in due course.
Maybe you could get a grant!

EDIT: of course the alternative would be vodka!

[HayleyB]

Could always stick a bucket on the compost heap

[Snadger]

Mine still freezes even with cider vinegar. Fortunately it's about 20 paces from the back door but I know you're not able to do anything about yours in between visits. I believe glycerine can help but I don't know how much you need.

Nitro glycerine????

"THINK YOU'VE USED ENOUGH DYNAMITE THERE BUTCH?????"

Yep.....that would deffo stop it freezing!

[Flummery]

Nitro glycerine????

"THINK YOU'VE USED ENOUGH DYNAMITE THERE BUTCH?????"

Yep.....that would deffo stop it freezing!

You were only meant to blow the b****y eggs out! (No, not NITRO!)

[its hilly]

Snadger Hayleys idea works with a little twitching. Bury a BIG container (one of them chemical containers with the blue screw on lids is good) nearly up to its rim in the muck heap or in your case compost heap, or failing them any big heap of protective stuff. Get a small rubber ball to float in the top to stop it getting fully iced up in case of really severe stuff, screw on lid loosely and it should be ok. Ive used this method myself and at least you will have unfrozen water, then just stick out enough in the coops to do for the day.

[Bramble-Poultry]

Glycerine - lowers the freezing point of water down to about -50 degrees in teh right concentration, however drinking water would not be suitable at those concentrations - 10% solution is usually sufficient to cope to around -4degrees

Ok so no good overnight when the temp plummets but if you empty the containers at night time and then fill with glycerine solution for day use then the temperature is usually a little higher in the day