Hi daffydill
re. keeping water from freezing – not easy when it gets really cold! Some people suggest putting a table tennis ball in the water – in the hope that it would move around and make it more difficult to freeze. Never actually tried that.
When I have had overwintering hogs, I have usually put at least one bowl into a wooden hog house (better insulation that just plastic), but I also put some right up next to the house walls, where there might be a bit of heat from the house. But put some fresh water out as late as possible. (but not warm or hot water, just normal temperature) i.e. leave some out earlier, but put out more just before going to bed, in the hope that any hog around will turn up early enough, before it freezes. Luckily the overwintering hogs here did turn up early enough – there were some really cold nights those years. But, we can but do our best.
