Goodwill - Inexpensive parts for "COOKIE TIN WATER HEATER" for this winter

[jimmywalt]

I read many threads where people talk about making the cookie tin water heater for the winter. Seems everyone advises buying the parts from the home improvement stores or Walmart............ But you can get all the parts you need for only a couple dollars at GOODWILL!!!!!!

They always have cookie tins for under $1 and you can find the cheapest lamp they sell and gut it for the parts!!!!!!!!!!!

Please spread the word and help your fellow BYC members save a few bucks.

Here's one I made this spring that I will use this winter.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Garage / Yard sales are another good place to pick up those cookie tins and old lamps. I like the xmas motif on your tin, hoping for a white Christmas.

 

[Hawkly88]

What about the heat of the lightbulb and the bedding material. I live in central NY and it gets very cold here. I have a brooded lamp set up for very cold nights but I wasn't. Sure what to do with the water. I think this will help but not sure with the straw and the chicks kicking it all around

 

[Kelsie2290]

I would only use these (and similar things) on concrete/metal, or on brick/stone, and block them in or fasten or attach them so they can not be knocked over by the chickens.

 

[marbekschicks]

I have used the cookie tin with light bulb for 4 years and have not had one problem. I use the wood chips on my coop floor. I have left them on continually for a good 3 months without turning them off. I have used both plastic waterers and galvanized waterers.

 

[jimmywalt]

I have used the cookie tin with light bulb for 4 years and have not had one problem. I use the wood chips on my coop floor. I have left them on continually for a good 3 months without turning them off. I have used both plastic waterers and galvanized waterers.

Is there any chance you could post some pictures? I'm the person that started this thread, and I made this thing, but I'm wondering about how I can fashion something so that the waterer doesn't slide off the cookie-tin-heater and either spill all the water on the coop floor, or worse yet - mix electric and water.

I'm thinking about building a "picture frame" box around the heater that's a bit taller than the cookie tin. I can sit my waterer on top and "hopefully" not have the water drip into the electric or tip over. I will also sit the cookie tin on a patio block that's about 1" thick so that the heat doesn't transfer to my vinyl floor in the coop.

Here's a picture of the inside of my coop from when it was being built this spring.

 

[Chickens R Us]

I used the tall popcorn tin, put the light bulb 1/2 way up the tin and fill the bottom about 4" with gravel this will make it heavier so it cannot be knocked over. It is the perfect height for the large breed chickens.