In this business, there is no shortage of folks trying to sell you the latest and greatest gadget to improve the process somehow. Each new doo-dad is guaranteed to improve your life by at least 10% or more. My dad always said if we just buy all of these, we'll get about 1000% better. Maybe that's where I get my skepticism. I tend to stay out of the hype cycles because, honestly, most of these new gizmos are barely useful at best.

(Dramatic Pause)

However, this new little hickey that I just installed on our water troughs is the real deal. Its called Freeze Miser (I think spelling is correct). The way it works is when water temperature drops below 36 degrees, it opens and allows the water to trickle out. Keeping the water moving eliminates freezing in the pipes and keeps fresh water available to the livestock. I always had trouble with chicken water lines freezing at night, so the trough in the picture is connected to the end of the chicken drinker line. This set-up keeps the trough unfrozen, but all of the water first passes through the chicken drinker lines, keeping them thawed as well. There is no power of any kind in this thingy-ma-bob. I assume it is just material science, and the material inside contracts consistently at a given temperature. Although it may be magic, I'm not sure. I do know that I am happy to have run across this hickey-ma-doogee, as it makes this freezing weather a little more tolerable.

(I am not paid or sponsored in any way by Freeze Miser)