Cookie Tin water heater

[Mayberry Chicken Shack]

If you don't want the heater to say on all the time you can buy a timer at Lowe's that is controlled by a thermostat that will turn the light on when temp. gets down to 34, they are in the plumbing dept.

 

[Gypsi]

I am using quart jar waterers, with the lid that makes the drinking tray with my chicks now, and those were what I was using in the coop last winter with the most success, and I couldn't keep it thawed. Larger volumes of water are easier to keep warm, those jars were freezing within 15 minutes (I was out with my dogs and checking.) We got a Maine winter in Texas for about a week last year, great educational event.

After that event I decided to build the cookie tin waterer for this year, if nothing else I can set the jar waterer on top of it. I'm still working the bugs out of my theory here. Heat travels up, first.

(I normally use a 5 gal bucket set in a basin with a drilled opening in the bottom of the bucket, but this will NOT fit in my coop)

 

[BellevueOmlet]

I have a bucket with a heater in it and cups on it so everything is contained.

 

[Gypsi]

What do you have that bucket hanging from? I still have a couple of nipples and a drill bit to match.

 

[BellevueOmlet]

This is actually before I was complete. Now it rests on a 4" PVC round and has the heater cord coming out of the back. Then I secured the handle against the wall. I have been really impressed with the heater keeping the water from freezing.

 

[mendozer]

is that an aquarium heater?

if so: is it the plastic shatterproof?
is it in a mechanical or thermostat timer?

 

[BellevueOmlet]

It is a Cast Aluminum Winter Bucket De-icer like this http://www.beaktime.com/pagepicture/deicer.JPG

 

[FrenchToast]

Ok, I bought the hog pans for my water warmers. They are the exact same size, shape, identical to the warmers that cost $40. I pulled one of those out of the box at the store and compared them right there.
Anway, now I need to figure out what to use for the bottom of it. They had a hard plastic type material screwed down with sheet metal screws.
So now I have the pan, screws, ceramic socket, threaded tube, washers, nuts and an extension cord to use for the cord.

Does anyone have any ideas on what to use for the bottom of m pan? I thought about using thin panneling but did't know if that would be a fire hazard but then again I am in NE WI and it is really really cold up here so I doubt my warmer is going to get tha warm. Plus I will be using the thermo cube so it won't be on constantly.

Any ideas? I was thinking of putting rubber roofing material between the panneling (whatever I use) as well since it wouldn't conduct electricitly. Just brainstorming here !!

Looking forward to your help. I hav 6 that I have to make so the cheaper the better.


Thanks guys

 

[Ivywoods]

How about the metal lid from an oil drum or from a 5 gal. bucket? Put that next to the feed pan, then if you want something to keep the metal away from the shavings you can put some type of plastic or ruber on the bottom of that The metal would not be apt to catch fire. I'm a fan of "adaptive re-use" and you can use such things at the old mud flap off of a truck, or whatever else you can find that is an insulating material not to prone to melting. If you wanted to use wood, I would put it on the outside, underneath the metal lid that you use for the bottom.

That's kind of confusing... the lid on the bottom....the wood under the lid on the bottom.

 

[FrenchToast]

Good ideas, I like the idea of recycling too. Maybe I'll go to the dump on Saturday and see what he has there. Thinking maybe even some hub caps would work ???? Metal ones of course.