So this cookie tin heater....

[JackE]

Quote:
I had the same problem with my cookie pan heater. My chickens would try to jump up on top of the waterer, and the waterer would just slide off the cookie tin. I found a simple fix for mine. I just hung a small chain from the ceiling, with a cheap snap hook. The waterer is not really suspended by the chain, but the chain is in the way and the chickens don't try to jump up on the waterer. Works for me. Good luck. (Want to see it, Check out the interior pics in the Woods House in winter thread.)
Jack

 

[Sooner]

I have used mine for two winters now, I have been lucky not having a problem with the chickens knocking it over. I use a 25 watt bulb, they are mostly inside coops or pens that are pretty protected from the weather. I have them in several pens with breeding pairs & trio's. In my larger pens with more chickens I have heated dog bowls that work fine. I also use one gallon plastic water's.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
I used to do much the same thing but with a piece of string. I tied it in a bow so it was easy to tie and untie when changing water. The other end was strung though the hardware cloth. Never did get around to picking up a small S hook to avoid the tying/untying. Now the chickens never get on top of that waterer. Guess they think the string is still there.

 

[duluthmom]

I made a coop water heater that seems to be working very well. Today it is 0F outside and it was 20F in the coop. I bought a standard base cleat light socket from the hardware store and screwed it onto the center of a board about 12"x12". I attached a length of lamp cord to the cleat socket and added a plug end (hardware store). I swept away all the deep litter from the floor where I wanted to set the heater. Set down the board, and centered a 6" thick concrete block over the socket. Make sure there is no combustible bedding or straw in the open cell of the block. I bent the edges of a sheet of galvanized flashing to create a water shedding lid for the block. I set my plastic waterer on top. I changed the bulb to 75W when the temps dropped, but a 40W was keeping the water ice free just fine. All the extra heat keeps the concrete block radiating warmth all day. I think I spent $5 on the entire setup.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/65938_img_0569.jpg https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/65938_img_0571.jpg https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/65938_img_0572.jpg https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/65938_img_0566.jpg

 

[ARose4Heaven]

Quote:
I used to do much the same thing but with a piece of string. I tied it in a bow so it was easy to tie and untie when changing water. The other end was strung though the hardware cloth. Never did get around to picking up a small S hook to avoid the tying/untying. Now the chickens never get on top of that waterer. Guess they think the string is still there.

I made my cookie tin heater out of 2 metal water pans, screwed together, then set it inside an old tire. My plastic waterer sits on there without being tied down, and never gets tipped. The tire helps hold the heat from the heater, and gives my girls a washable surface to stand on to drink.

 

[TERRY4]

So you're suppose to use a plastic waterer on the tin? We're making our first one, and I was going to go out and get a 3 gallon metal waterer. No??

So what gallon size waterer, plastic or metal??

Thank you.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote:
Size and material don't matter, although I've found plastic waterers ususaly work better and last longer

 

[TERRY4]

Ok Thank you Bear. Actually rural king here has some nice metal ones I was thinking of getting one. They have them in 3 gal. and 5 gal. Because it'd be easier for me to left full, I wanted to get the 3 gallon. We have the coop close to the house, so I go out the front door, and it's close to carry things there.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote:
If you think you may get more birds later, get the larger size, and just dont fill it FULL until you need to

 

[Tina88]

I saw this idea last night and knew I HAD to have one! So I went to or local thrift store and bought me lamp and a cookie tin (had the light bulb). It cost me $2.50 and a loving hubby to get mine done. Here it is and it will be in use tonight!