Cookie Tin water heater

[hannakat]

Weeks ago I read this thread in preparation for winter. I had such good intentions...save money....make it simple.

Well, I failed

ended up paying $42.00 for a heated, thermo controlled waterer that I can't even lift when full.

I

to all of you who make it happen!!!

 

[bairo]

Quote:

We're going away for a few days & don't want my girls to go thirsty. So we are going to make a cookie tin waterer today. It doesn't get real cold here at night - mid 20's, but I am going to use the pipe insulation in the can & try a 25 watt chandelier bulb. This well be awesome. Can't wait to try it out.

Ivywoods you are really a creative writer. I read your post to my very handy husband & he nearly died laughing! Keep writing!:

 

[Earthologie]

This is a BRILLIANT idea! Thanks for posting! (Even though this was posted long ago). I am going to find some small lamps at thrift stores to convert!

 

[Earthologie]

I was wondering if the hot pad warmer worked for you?

 

[Earthologie]

I just ordered a little hot pad heater to wrap around my bottle.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I8YPQ4/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details

I have only 3 hens and use an old plastic apple sauce jar with a nipple in the lid. I am hoping that I can wrap this around my bottle using a rubber band and it will be enough.

Anyone have experience with something like this?
My coop is only 4'x4' so I don't have much extra floor space to put a big old waterer in.

I was wondering if this idea worked for you?

 

[Daloorashens]

posting so I can remember where this is at... it's freezing at night here, now, so time to get a move on this project=)

 

[mbleily]

I am so glad we have so many inventive people here! I had seen this before and wanted to try it but haven't had the time. I have been using two dog heated waterers with two large wine bottles in them to keep the hens out of the water. They love to wash their feet even in the winter. LOL I would fill the wine bottles with warm water in the house and take them out to the pen. Pour part of the water into the waterers and then put the wine bottles into the water at an angle laying on the rim of the waterer. The mouth is under water and will not release any more water until it gets below the mouth. Works really well. But now I have another bunch of chickens in another chicken house that needs waterers for winter.

We buy our catsup in large cans. I am thinking of using these cans.....as I always save things just incase I will need it.....like these cans....

. I am thinking of putting the light upright on some kind of scrap wood and putting the can upside down on the light. I am also thinking of putting bricks around the can on the wood to hold the whole thing steady. I will put a metal of some kind...like a metal try on top of the can. Maybe held in place with bricks under and over. I am also thinking ether a pig feeder pan or a Fortex pan on top. Should be fun to build and figure out.

We have some very cold days and nights here some years.......never know what will happen here. After all it is Idaho. LOL

Has anyone here used larger cans instead of the cookie tins? Interested to hear if you have.
Micki on the west boarder of Idaho about in the middle of the state.......50 miles west of Boise.

 

[Daloorashens]

Hi there Micki!! Stop by the Idaho thread some time=)

 

[SJandPs Nana]

What a great idea! Thanks for posting pictures. You just saved me about $60.00 in unnecessary expense and my girls will still have unfrozen water throughout the winter.

 

[kellieetal]

Love these ideas. I really like recycling what's already around. As I read through the thread though, it occurred to me ask "what about adding something to the chickens' water that would raise its freezing point?" That's how salting the icy roads works, and I've been told sugaring the roads would work just as well only would be lots more expensive. So then...if we added a small amount (how much would have to be experimented with I think) of either sugar or salt to the water--not enough to make it "sugary" or "salty", just enough to keep it at say 33-34 F (since it only has to be one degree above freezing NOT to freeze)...would adding something like that to the water harm the chickens? I don't have any idea if the apple cider vinegar that people often use in the water has any effect on the water's freezing point or not.

oh, and...does anyone know, off hand, how many watts a 100-light holiday light strand is (the regular old 'twinkle' lights, NOT the LED ones obviously, since the LED ones wouldn't produce heat)?? Annnnnd... My son has an old nightlight that he's outgrown--the kind with the 4 watt C7 screw-in bulb on a cord with a rolling thumb wheel switch (make sense?). It gets hot enough if left on for a while that you don't want to touch it. I never measured it's temperature though. I was wondering if that nightlight might work.

Man! Now I"m not going to be able to sleep tonight--too many ideas and "what if"s spinning through my head now! I should know better than to visit the forums right before bed.