how to keep water from freezing?

[lastfling]

It is not so much the BOTTLES freezing as much as it is the NOZZLES freezing....the water in the bottles will still be liquid, but the nozzle will be frozen and no water will get thru it. I have heard some add ACV to their bottles to help keep things from freezing...I have not tried it though, since I live in SE Texas and don't often have freezing temps.

Agree with that. Water in the bottle is fine, but when it's frozen in the metal nozzle the entire bottle might as well be frozen. That's the reason I've switched to bowls/crocks when the temps dip below freezing. S

 

[CCourson05]

This is my plan and I've only had one bottle freeze. Take a wool/thermal sock and place over the waterers. Then, the water stay warm and it's the rabbit's job to use it often enough to avoid the freezing of the metal nozzle.

 

[jodief100]

I have a brooder lamp hoovering over the little chickens water right now. Maybe that will work?

 

[secuono]

Bowls will last longer because the rabbits will lick and chew the ice, thus get water. That is what mine have learned to do. One rabbit is really good at it, another just waits for me to refill it, lol.

If they are outside, blocking as much wind as possible will slow the waters freezing time. Refilling with warm water also helps slow it down.

I'm wondering about the additives to the water to lower the freezing point, too. Will it hurt the rabbits to be drinking it?

Heat lamps might work, but would make the area real warm. They have heated pipe wire, not sure if they can get wet, though. Could make insulated containers, wrap the wire around a metal bowl inside the container and there you go.