How warm is your cookie tin water heater? Looking for

[RonP]

Forever Water Heater one that lasts.

Unfrozen Nipple Watering for those cold days.

Click on the above links to see how I deal with the cold successfully.

 

[mechanic57]

Thanks, I will read up on your methods tonight.

 

[Betsy G.]

I don't have specific temps for you, just personal experience. When I put an old-style incandescent 60-watt bulb in my warmer (same size as yours), the bulb overheats and burns out. The exception to this is when the temps drop into the single digits. I have the most consistent luck with a 40-watt bulb (old-style). When the temps get into the single digits, there is a skim of ice on the tray in the morning, but not so much that the chickens can't drink. In my area, it is nearly impossible to get the old-style incandescent bulbs anymore, so I have switched to the 60-watt halogen bulbs (43-watt output). So far, so good.

 

[DIYgirl]

Hello! I use a 40 watt light bulb in an 8 or 9" high tin. I like the tall tins so that the waterer is higher and water stays cleaner. I have two bantams so I have two bricks at the base of the tin for them to stand on, which they do. A 25 watt bulb would provide me with a cube of ice in my northeast PA climate. Most people use tins that are too small and use too high a wattage, burning takes place and they wonder why. I run my 40 watt bulb on a thermocube, which is AWESOME. I unplug the bulb at night and take the water inside - paying for a light bulb to stay on all night on cold nights makes no sense to me.

The 40 watt bulb will not keep my 3 gallon waterer ice-free, so I switch to a one gallon waterer in winter for my flock of nine. Never put your water in the coop - the moisture will lead to frostbite.

Happy Chickenkeeping! www.facebook.com/blueskyandblooms

 

[chicknz4me]

I am using a 25 watt candelabra bulb in mine. height is 2 1/2 -3 inches and about 7 inches across. I have not tested how hot the outside gets but it seems to be keeping my water from freezing, but I have had a skim of ice that was easily broken up with a splash of hot tap water. I have it on a timer to come on for 3-4 hours at a time throughout the day, so it is not on constantly.

 

[JackE]

Never put your water in the coop - the moisture will lead to frostbite.

Happy Chickenkeeping! www.facebook.com/blueskyandblooms

Maybe if you keep you birds in a shoebox of a coop. I've never had any problems with frostbite, with the water fount (With CookieTin heater) kept right in the coop.

 

[the poppster]

I use a 40 to 60 watt heavy service light bulb in my "Cookie Tin" water heater....it's actually a repurposed breaker box....and water proof trouble light. Works great!

 

[DIYgirl]

Wow, friendly.

 

[DIYgirl]

My coop is not a shoebox, but it is not a shed, either. I have found everyone here to be kind and having other's best interests at heart, sharing personal experiences. Even vets have suggested not putting water inside the coop. Obviously, your experience is not the same in MD as it has been for those more north. Thank you for sharing.

Maybe if you keep you birds in a shoebox of a coop.   I've never had any problems with frostbite,   with the water fount (With CookieTin heater)  kept right in the coop.  

 

[JackE]

My coop is not a shoebox, but it is not a shed, either. I have found everyone here to be kind and having other's best interests at heart, sharing personal experiences. Even vets have suggested not putting water inside the coop. Obviously, your experience is not the same in MD as it has been for those more north. Thank you for sharing.

Geesh, take it easy. I'm not saying you have a shoebox of a coop. I was just disagreeing with the idea that having a water fount in the coop is a problem.