Do you remove ice from waterers

[edmonds]

or just break it up? We have been breaking up the ice with a mini-sledge and then scooping out the ice chunks with a shovel. It may delay refreezing a little longer. What do you think?

Here in northern Alabama we may have up to a week of below freezing, and ice make get 1 to 2 inches thick on waterers if left on its own. Horses and cows can probably break thru a thin layer. But goats, who are in a different pasture, have more difficulty. No electricity so heaters are not an option for us.

[Tom in TN]

Edmonds,

I live in Middle Tennessee about 40 miles south of Nashville, about 50 miles north of Alabama. I have two water troughs with electric heaters in them, but I also have three others without heaters. I do exactly as you said with my troughs that are not heated. I break up the ice and shovel it out of the trough. I, too, believe that the water won't re-freeze quite as quickly by getting the ice out.

Hasn't this been some COLD winter so far?

Tom in TN

[Minelson]

I would scoop it out. In cold weather the last thing I would want to drink is ice water and I don't think my critters would like it either

[julieq]

Originally Posted by edmonds

Here in northern Alabama we may have up to a week of below freezing, and ice make get 1 to 2 inches thick on waterers if left on its own. Horses and cows can probably break thru a thin layer. But goats, who are in a different pasture, have more difficulty. No electricity so heaters are not an option for us.

We hardly make it above freezing this time of year, so our goats, horses, poultry and GS dog all have to have heated troughs/buckets. Even the big water buckets in the barn freeze pretty solid if they're not heated. Maybe our horses could break through a really thin layer, but our goats sure couldn't.

[mellowguy]

Having just a handful of critters, we have the luxury of using a 15-gallon rubber trough. We empty it, turn it upside down, and kick it until the ice is gone. Here, it's not unusual for the trough to freeze right through. The animals drink what they need over a few hours, then let the rest freeze overnight.

When the kids just add water to the ice, we just end up with a bigger ice cube.

In your warmer climate, you may be able to get away with just breaking the ice. However, The laws of physics would dictate that it will freeze over faster if you leave the ice.

[am1too]

Originally Posted by edmonds

or just break it up? We have been breaking up the ice with a mini-sledge and then scooping out the ice chunks with a shovel. It may delay refreezing a little longer. What do you think?

Here in northern Alabama we may have up to a week of below freezing, and ice make get 1 to 2 inches thick on waterers if left on its own. Horses and cows can probably break thru a thin layer. But goats, who are in a different pasture, have more difficulty. No electricity so heaters are not an option for us.

I just pour a gallon of hot water from the tap on it.

[oregon woodsmok]

Small buckets, ice gets removed. It slows refreezing.

The stock pond and large troughs, only a small hole is broken in the ice, because the ice will go no deeper in any one spot. It will all be level under the water.

So if there is a thick cover of ice, with one small hole, the ice over the hole will be very thin and easy to break and remove every day.

[ErinP]

Two tools go with every cattleman that I know of in the winter--An ax and a pitchfork.

The ax breaks up the ice, the pitchfork scoops out the loose pieces.

[Ravenlost]

I've been scooping it out and then adding hot water to the water bowls.

[Backfourty,MI.]

We have electric water buckets but in your situation I would definately sccop the ice out & add hot water.

I agree with minelson no animal wants to drink freezin cold water but you have to do what you can. They can't drink through 1-2 inches of ice though so wether you add hot water or not I would still break the ice off the top & pitch it out of the trough or waterer, etc.

[springvalley]

Originally Posted by ErinP

Two tools go with every cattleman that I know of in the winter--An ax and a pitchfork.

The ax breaks up the ice, the pitchfork scoops out the loose pieces.

I also use a fork, I use one the tines are close togeather so the small ice chunks don`t fall through.You could also try banking your tanks with strawy horse poop, it heats, so will keep some of the ice down on tanks. > Marc

[motdaugrnds]

I break it up, scoop it out and then add hot water to it (sometimes twice daily).

[mekasmom]

We always bought those rubber buckets/bowls and would just dump them so the solid mass of ice fell out, then refilled. I did the goats' buckets twice a day and the rabbit colony dishes twice a day, as well as the chickens.
For large animals-- horses, cows, etc-- use a heater in the water tub.

[jassytoo]

Originally Posted by Ravenlost

I've been scooping it out and then adding hot water to the water bowls.

That's what we do too. Nicer for the animals to have a warm drink rather than an ice cold one.

[jlrbhjmnc]

I scoop it out. Three Minnesotans taught me that. Works well.

[mothernature]

I'm a scooper too!!

[oregon woodsmok]

[[[[.....The ax breaks up the ice, the pitchfork scoops out the loose pieces.....]]]

Yes to the pitchfork, but I use a tool that looks like the wide blade of a mattock mounted on a long wooden pole to break ice. That way I don't have to get quite as close and don't get splashed.

I don't know what the tool is called. It says PUD on the handle.

[Esteban29304]

Try putting in a chunk of firewood in the trough. Nice clean split oak or other hardwood works pretty good but I am unsure how well in extreme temps. The water stays a little warmer next to the wood,,, the wood will bobble around a little, too . That helps keep it from freezing. The animals will find the unfrozen water next to the wood & drink it. That helps to keep the wood moving around, too.

[sunflower-n-ks]

Originally Posted by Esteban29304

Try putting in a chunk of firewood in the trough. Nice clean split oak or other hardwood works pretty good but I am unsure how well in extreme temps. The water stays a little warmer next to the wood,,, the wood will bobble around a little, too . That helps keep it from freezing. The animals will find the unfrozen water next to the wood & drink it. That helps to keep the wood moving around, too.

I second this. Anything dark that floats should work. The dark color will absorb heat, and the movement will help keep ice broke up. I was working on frozen water containers and found one with a black walnut that had fallen in it. The entire surface of the water was frozen solid except for where that little walnut was. I read about a company that makes black balls to put in water tanks to keep the water from freezing.

[Kshobbit]

Thank God for my water trough heater. It makes it nice for the goats. I went for many years doing the break the ice, scoop out the ice cubes, and put some hot water in to make the it more drinkable.
My rabbits have the smaller Fortex pans that I can usually just knock out the ice and refill with warm water. My sons thought they could do the same with the stoneware crocks and broke all of them!!!