Good Morning
I had to find a way to keep ice out of the waterer, and yesterday when it was frozen solid, I came up with this. I doubt it will work up north but for this region, Southeast, you might like it. I use a dish pan for a waterer, holds about 5 gallons, stable as they tend to perch on the sides to drink and dang cheap, $ 2.50 at the dollar store. I have 2, one to use one to reserve, clean, I just switch when needed. I went to Wal-mart and bought a fish tank heater, submersible, small, used for 2 to 10 gallon tanks, costs $ 15. Applied it to the side of the pan with the included suction cup. It only pulls 50 watts, about 1/2 an amp, so running it from a drop cord is not a problem. I am using it with a Thermo cube, available from Lowe's or HD about $ 12, plugs into the drop cord, heater into that, operates from 35 on to 40 off degrees. Yesterday was cold, especially for here, 32 for the high, and 17 for the low. I had ZERO ice in the waterer this morning !! I really liked the cookie tin idea, but my water is outside and I was worried about it being waterproof, plus I would have had to dig a hole for it, to make the pan stable and not too high. Hope this helps some of you.
NT
I had to find a way to keep ice out of the waterer, and yesterday when it was frozen solid, I came up with this. I doubt it will work up north but for this region, Southeast, you might like it. I use a dish pan for a waterer, holds about 5 gallons, stable as they tend to perch on the sides to drink and dang cheap, $ 2.50 at the dollar store. I have 2, one to use one to reserve, clean, I just switch when needed. I went to Wal-mart and bought a fish tank heater, submersible, small, used for 2 to 10 gallon tanks, costs $ 15. Applied it to the side of the pan with the included suction cup. It only pulls 50 watts, about 1/2 an amp, so running it from a drop cord is not a problem. I am using it with a Thermo cube, available from Lowe's or HD about $ 12, plugs into the drop cord, heater into that, operates from 35 on to 40 off degrees. Yesterday was cold, especially for here, 32 for the high, and 17 for the low. I had ZERO ice in the waterer this morning !! I really liked the cookie tin idea, but my water is outside and I was worried about it being waterproof, plus I would have had to dig a hole for it, to make the pan stable and not too high. Hope this helps some of you.
NT
