Homemade water heater

[BrewedInNh]

Quote:
Here's the waterer heater I built. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=57188-waterheater We did have to step it up to a 60 watt bulb when nights dropped to the teens here. The terracotta acts as a great insulator, focusing the heat up to the tin pan. We have it on a timer that comes on at 3am and turns off at 7am. We have a 3 gallon plastic waterer (same style as marcym shows) that sits on top.

 

[marcym]

Just looked at my pics again. Better point out that this is directly inside the coop door, so it isn't bedded down. The other 3/4 of the coop is. Just don't want ya'll thinking my chickens wallow in poop all day, and didn't notice that was most of what that picture showed!

 

[hadzimak]

Hi Jim, on "my" version of the cookie tin heater I used HardieBacker Board for a base. Can find it at Lowes / HomeDepot in tile section and is used mostly under tile, its made of concrete formed into a 3'X5'sheet with some types of fibers to hold it together, its also same material they make the HardiePlank siding. Since it is concrete its fire proof. But it also very limited stucturally and will not hold screws well, so I backed it with some plywood. So anyways I mounted my light to the backer board / plywood, put a inverted metal hog pan over the top and secured with a few screws. Hope this helps for an idea for a base

 

[hadzimak]

Hi again, forgot to mention in first reply. To turn heater on and off I'm using a "Thermocube". Its a very simple to use thermostat that turns on at 35 and off at 40 degrees (different temp ranges available). Sold at Amazon.com etc for about $12.

 

[6chicks&aduck]

i have the cookie tin heater and i couldnt find a big enough tin, so my waterer keeps sliding off try to come up with a solution . Thanks for the posts i will try one of these heaters you have made !

 

[Tprecious1]

Quote:
Do you got a link to it.

 

[sunnyvera]

After all the great ideas, hubby made two heaters last nite. First one was two cake pans attached together with light bulb inside. Second was in a can with tin lid on top. We saved about $40, yeah. Just a note: We had 60W bulbs inside (that is all I had) and it was too hot to touch - YIKES! Have to get a smaller bulb. I use a smaller plastic waterer inside the henhouse and it is going to work just fine. It is 17 degrees now and hens refuse to leave the house. Won't even poke their heads out. They are a hoot.

 

[Oobhakeb]

Thermo cube

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846


wow, this was priced at 40 bucks on another website i was just on!

 

[sgtmom52]

Quote:
They also sell them at TSC for $12.99.

I have one in my old coop and need to pick one up for the new coop too.

 

[Oobhakeb]

WELL I WILL BE PICKING ONE OF THESE BAD BOYS UP! I dont have any chickens yet nor a hen house, but Im trying to figure out what I need to get and what are experiences with products that some people have had. Im a very DIY kinda of girl and interested in this topic because well of course i am not paying 50+bucks for a water heater. thanks for the tips!