Cookie Tin water heater

[Hooligans7]

It only has to keep things above 32 degrees, so not a lot of heat is needed
It is NOT a radiant heat source if set up as I described, but would actually be the same convection you're saying is needed, but without having to use a fan

True, but the lady lives in Alaska, where achieving +33F from -40F can take a lot of BTUs. I admit that I don't understand your concept of heating the bucket waterer with the cookie tin heater. Is it placed underneath the waterer? In the floor? Would the chickens be standing on it? Please help me understand it.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

The bucket is high enough for the chickens to reach the nipples.
The heater is high enough they can't stand on it, but low enough to allow room to reach the nipples.

They only need a few inches seperation, and all the heat is concentrated where it needs to be.
The heater previously used IN the bucket can still be used, so THAT heat will be helping too.

Only the nipples were freezing, so only a little more heat is needed
Go back to page 44, and read post #440:

Quote:

Well it's not the bucket de-icer that is ineffective, the water in the bucket is still ice-free and definitely above freezing, but the nipples freeze solid.

Hopefully this explains the concept more clearly

 

[WinterLadyAK]

The bucket is high enough for the chickens to reach the nipples.
The heater is high enough they can't stand on it, but low enough to allow room to reach the nipples.

They only need a few inches seperation, and all the heat is concentrated where it needs to be.
The heater previously used IN the bucket can still be used, so THAT heat will be helping too.

Only the nipples were freezing, so only a little more heat is needed
Go back to page 44, and read post #440:


Hopefully this explains the concept more clearly

Ahhh, that DOES explain it more clearly thank you!! So the chickens would just reach their necks out through the gap between the nipples and the heat source. I may try this. With just a 25 watt lightbulb or something it shouldn't be too hot for them if they were to brush up against it. I do worry that much of that heat would be wasted, but if a 25 watt bulb did the trick that's not a big deal.

We are talking temps that are a sustained -7 to -15F day and night, for the past 2+ weeks. Drive down the street either direction 3 miles though, and the temps are +20

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: Not much would really be "wasted" since the sides and top of the heater will warm the air, which will rise up around the nipples
The outside of the heater probably won't be too hot to touch unless the bulb is in contact with the sides or top.

If it IS, a simple wire "cage" could be put around it to prevent the birds from making contact, while still allowing a free flow of air

Just use your imagination, and remember there is no "right" or "wrong" way to build these heaters.
It's just a light bulb in a container

Clay flower pots are the containers I use in my pumphouses to keep the pipes from freezing
The one in my coop is a rectangular metal box that was once a "picnic basket"
I've never had to buy a container to make a heater

 

[aoxa]

Is it normal for the water in to freeze above the base?

 

[ChickGeek]

This is genius

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

I have feral cats they have hard food 24/7 but at night get soft canned food. I feed them around 2pm but if they are late sometimes the food freezes and they can't eat it.. I'm wondering...ummm...I would have 3 dishes to heat. Could I place a heavy ceramic dish on top of each ontainer and do you think it would keep the food heat but not making it too hot to eat?

I would think low wattage bulb would be just fine.

By the way I bought to cookie tins with cookies at tsc. So here we go.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: Her problem is the bucket remains liquid but the NIPPLES on the bottom freeze

But to answer your question, a normal fountain type waterer sitting directly on a "cookie tin" heater isn't likely to freeze above the base IF your bulb is large enough.

 

[Daloorashens]

I just made a page of the ones DH helped me make, they have been working great and well worth the little time it took to make them!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/dhens-water-homemade-water-heater

 

[chickbabymomma1]

I seen someone selling these on craigslist, I was wondering how they worked...now I know!!