Cookie Tin water heater

That's more what I was worried about; toxicity. The hottest the water could possibly get is 212F (100C) not nearly hot enough to melt even polyethylene. I'm not worried about the water, as I'm on a personal well, and there is no industry or commercial agriculture anywhere within 25 miles. So the only thing in the water is what nature puts in it.

However I cannot find any nipple waterers except for the vertical (from the underside) kind, plastic or metal. And since my birds are used to them anyways will the "Sparkletts bottle" type work OK with these heaters?

Please please please- be aware of where you place these! These set ups can get very hot and cause fires. I know of one instance where the owners burnt their house down.

Be sure to check these daily and protect it from flammable materials. I put mine on a trivet and that works well.

kconley said:

Please please please- be aware of where you place these! These set ups can get very hot and cause fires. I know of one instance where the owners burnt their house down.

Be sure to check these daily and protect it from flammable materials. I put mine on a trivet and that works well.

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I would be very interested in hearing details as to the circumstances causing a fire from a cookie tin heater.

Could you please elaborate?

RonP said:

I would be very interested in hearing details as to the circumstances causing a fire from a cookie tin heater.

Could you please elaborate?

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The incandescent bulb burst violently and caught debris on fire (bedding, cobwebs, anything flammable). Newer equipment often has safety features but older materials are accident prone.

Energy efficient bulbs run cool, though that defeats the purpose of the heater. Check your heater to make sure it isn't getting too hot or smoking. Heat can warp materials too, so just because everything was set up correctly doesn't mean it will stay put.

The lights in our barn are in glass and caged, to prevent exploding lights (rare but does happen!) from catching fire.

Happy heating!

kconley said:

The incandescent bulb burst violently and caught debris on fire (bedding, cobwebs, anything flammable). Newer equipment often has safety features but older materials are accident prone.

Energy efficient bulbs run cool, though that defeats the purpose of the heater. Check your heater to make sure it isn't getting too hot or smoking. Heat can warp materials too, so just because everything was set up correctly doesn't mean it will stay put.

The lights in our barn are in glass and caged, to prevent exploding lights (rare but does happen!) from catching fire.

Happy heating!

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This sounds like a heating lamp accident.

I agree, this could be very dangerous.

But by design, a cookie tin heater will contain the bulb inside, and flammable materials outside the tin.
Similar to the lights in your barn that are in glass and caged.

The tin will never reach temperatures sufficient to incinerate combustibles inside the coop, assuming the bulb wattage remains reasonable.

BIG suggestion for those of us that built and use the Cookie tin water container heaters: Build a wooden cover that will stop the tank from sliding off of it; Legs tot he ground on 4 sides a good idea to stop tip-over from a really frisky chicken that wanted to sit on top of it !!! A side vent hole or two will stop overheating the water. Temp Cube plugins that go on at 32 Deg and off at 45 deg is a GOOD idea !

( Annoying bird she is for certain!)
I used 2 concreted paver's that are 9"x16" side by side to act as a base. they will keep the wooden cover from sliding and dumping the water. The wooden "legs" will hang down far enough to curtail movement.

God Bless and good luck.

kalaim said:

And that kind of light cord is ok for outdoors then?

How do you put a hole in the cookie tin?

Thanks!!

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use a step drill