Heat hanging waterer with heat lamp?

[limabean]

I have a hanging metal waterer. Rather than setting up a platform so I can set it on top of a heater for winter, can I point a heat lamp at it (obviously up out of reach)? Would that heat it enough? And what would the energy consumption be like? I am thinking the heat lamp would double as a heat source for the chickens. They are in a wire coop that is inside an insulated (but not heated) garage.

 

[teach1rusl]

Well, obviously it'll depend on what wattage bulb you use, because even the heat bulbs have a wide range (the lowest I own is 50W). I'm sure it would work, but is there a particular reason you don't want the waterer set on something (like the cookie tin or clay pot heaters)?? Most likely just a regular 60W bulb would work fine for the waterer...

 

[Dar]

I have never had this work....

i dont like setting up the platform because the hens then kick all kinds of stuff in the water.... i keep mine hanging and use a human heating pad wrapped around my heater secure it with a bungie cord and have the pad on low this is enough to keep the water above freezing

 

[Nicole01]

I was going to try this. I bought a nice bulb, changed my mind to ceramic heat emitter(which I also bought), to now I'm going to use a radiator heater. Luckily this heater was never used and my in laws gave it to me. It has setting dial from 0-8 and we plan on using the lowest setting and placing the waterer fairly close to the heater.

The heat lamp gives off light, unless it's a red bulb, which will make them lay too much(which I've been told).

 

[limabean]

Dar, are you saying you've tried a heat lamp and it does not work?

I can't imaging wrapping a heating pad around my waterer - it's too small.

The reason I don't want to set the waterer on a platform is simply that it would involve reconfiguring my coop layout and all the inevitable trial and error that would involve. Having the feed & water hanging has worked out great so far so I'd like to find a way to maintain that through winter.

The heat lamp I have is the one I used when they were chicks - red bulb, 175w I think?

 

[Dar]

Quote:
yes I have never had the heat bulb over the waterer work... now remember that I am Canada and we get to about -25 - -30*C

I cant find the metal waterers at the 2 local feed stores they only had the plastic and the first year I melted the waterer and still had frozen water at the bottom... the top was liquid... my heating pad only wraps around 2/3rds of the waterer but its enough to keep it thawed and then it starts to slush on the reeeeally cold nights i will bump it up to medium or high

 

[limabean]

I am also in Canada (central Ontario).

I meant the waterer itself is too small to wrap a heating pad around.

My waterer is metal.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

heat rises so something under the water or in it will be more efficient.

 

[Dar]

Quote:
OHHHHHH in that case you may have luck with the heat lamp.... I am using the big 5 gal waterer...

 

[limabean]

Quote:
Good point!

Dar, yeah, I only have 5 hens (was six last week

). The waterer is 2 gallons I think.

All this talk is making me dread bring that waterer in and out to change the water in the winter!!!