Frozen water nozzles.

[currituckbun]

I never thought I would have this problem in coastal Carolina but here I am. I went out this evening and the nozzles were frozen on my outdoor hutches. I thawed them out, put hot water in and I insulated with bubble wrap and towels..my question is will this work? What do you guys do? Most of my rabbits are inside but recently I purchased two wooden outdoor hutches. I am using as grow out cages. I have a total of 12 rabbits out side until FC.
Help we don't ever have snow and today one inch and growing!
:badmood: close as I could get to snow

 

[ladysown]

so why not switch to crocks until the cold weather is over? Frozen water bottles are no fun and the part you need to keep warm is the nozzle...it will freeze quite easily.

 

[schmitty]

it's no fun is it. i just keep replacing the water bottles or crocks as needed. the buns will get their fillup real quick. hang in there it won't last long for you but probably longer for us in the north. although i saw a flock of about 20 robins yesterday. man were they confused 0-10 with the wind chill. they better head back south.

 

[currituckbun]

I will steal my cats dishes. I assume they are crock like.
Thanks,
Virginia

 

[ladysown]

just a heavy enough bowl is all you need

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Preferably one with a flared shape to allow for ice expansion.

 

[akane]

It doesn't matter how much you insulate bottles because the tube will freeze first and fast if the weather is truly cold. That's why most switch to crocks if they don't run heated. With frozen water usually from end of Nov to a bit in to March here I go with heated. This winter hasn't been normal though and we almost could have gotten away without spending the money on running more heated water.

 

[Lastfling]

Yep, that's what I do too -- switch out the bottles for the crocks. I change out the bottles to crock in the morning, bring the frozen bottles back to house, and return them to the rabbits in the evening. To repeat each day that temps dip below freezing at night. I've noticed in my barn it normally has to be below 28 before the bottles freeze up.