1. Manure
Before technology was an option, some people began using manure to keep their water troughs from freezing, and no, I’m not suggesting that you fill your water tanks with manure. Most people are aware of the danger of manure pile fires, so if you have no other option or want to try a more natural approach, you can pile fresh manure around your bucket or trough.

Once you’ve piled the manure around the water source, you should cover the entire thing with a black tarp or plastic and cut out a hole for the animals to drink from the trough. The heat from the manure trapped under the plastic will help keep your water from freezing.

2. Molasses

Because livestock love molasses it's often helpful to add a little bit to water to encourage them to drink. An added benefit is that molasses takes a lot longer to freeze than water. If you add some molasses to the water in your trough, you'll find your water becomes more resistant to freezing temperatures. Even if the water does freeze a bit, it generally remains slushy enough to drink.

3. Saline solution jugs
Another great and very simple option for keeping your livestock’s water from freezing is floating milk jugs in the trough. The milk jugs should be filled with a saline solution, which can either be purchased or just as easily made. The salt keeps the water from freezing in the jug, and as it floats around, it keeps the water moving enough to prevent it from freezing partially if not completely. This method likely will still require you to clear out the surrounding ice, but it should be enough to make sure your animals can drink between waterings. It is important to note that the salt should only go in the jug and not in the drinking water!

These methods may require a bit of extra work, but in the long run they should prove to pay off in the form of drinkable water for your livestock all winter long.

Check out offthegridnews to learn more about keeping your livestock water from freezing.