Thought I'd bump this up with winter coming. I hope this proves helpful for others in keeping their waterers thawed for their chooks.
Reminders..safety first
-keep heated items away from shavings by placing them on bricks or cement blocks.
-always use GFI outlets when dealing with water
-you don't need to overheat the water..just take the chill off so it doesn't freeze, so the lowest watt bulb is ideal depending on your temps
Feel free to add other safety reminders I may have missed.
I think we got everything to make this Tin water heater today. Now, John has to put them together!(not me~lol) He makes(fix) the stuff & I USE the stuff. Thank you for the good usuful information. By the way, can we use this heater outside? or just for inside use? Noriko.
Noriko, I recommend these as the safer indoor water heaters, if built properly.
There are dog water dishes and metal heater bases that work better for outdoors. You could probably use this cookie tin one, but with a higher watt bulb.
And we have one heated dog bowl from Wal-mart but, I might need more than one heated dog bowls because we have DUCKS.......lol And John thinks Metal heater base is not cheap and we also must buy Metal watere to use with it. He just didn't like that idea. He liked your idea better if we can use this heater for outside too. I have to talk to John again. Because I just USE, I don't build
Anyway, Thank you for all of good usuful information as usual. Noriko.
THANK YOU for this thread!!! What a great idea, I was wondering what I was going to do this winter for the water. Truly a life saved, and I'll let hubby figure it out so he can feel useful.
You're very welcome. Thawed water is one of the most essential requirements for your chickens. I have found this most helpful with my water situation and thought most others would too. Add the economical factor and it is worth its weight in gold.
Obviously EVERYONE in East Central IN read this thread yesterday because the cookie cans were flying off the shelves at Family Dollar and Dollar General stores...none at Walmart. No light socket kits anywhere. Well, I'll hang ny strands of christmas lights in the chick castle tonite and off to Muncie tomorrow to find the rest! Thank you one and all for this teriffic thread!!!! Ben Franklin and a Scotsman would be ever so proud.