The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[JeffOeuf]

Do you have a photo of your that you could put up?

What are your outside temperatures since you put yours on? Do you have any idea of how hot they heat - not how hot they make the water, but how hot the little heater is to the touch.

Snapped a pic. Just got this done yesterday. It was 20 last night and no freezing, even in the valves.



EDITED TO ADD:

Temperature of the heater: You can touch it, hold your fingers there for a few seconds, but then you'll pull them away. I don't think it could actually burn you, but it is uncomfortable.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: Wow...I'm impressed that the whole pipe assembly didn't freeze. Do you have any concerns that it may be hot enough to start a fire if it somehow came off the bucket and fell into the wood shavings or straw?

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Now another heat question - since it's that hot, how do you think it's affecting the plastic? What I mean here is...FOR ME (this may not be an issue to anyone else!!) ....I don't like using plastic much because I don't like the idea of the chemicals leaching into the water. With the addition of heat I'm thinking that would make it even more likely to leach into the water.....

So...now this has me thinking......

Again...bear with me here...this is just MY THING.....
I had been thinking when I first got these that if I liked them I wanted to try to figure out a way to attach them to something besides plastic - like ceramic or glass. I was thinking of the gallon iced tea type dispensers that are glass with a spigot. Those spigots just screw into the holes cut in the glass just like these on our plastic buckets but the glass edges have been heated or sealed in some way to prevent sharp edges. I've seen those same spigots used on ceramic just like that.

So...if I could figure out a way to get a nice ceramic or thick glass container, then use one of those heaters...well then I think I'd have exactly what I'd like!

 

[delisha]

Quote:

Quote: It is never too late in my experience with animals. If aggressive behavior has been allowed, it will just take a bit more time. They are animals. They don't hold a grudge. Most animals are smart and understand Alpha. We just need to teach it. He thinks he is Alpha, you just need to show him differently.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
I hope he has one for you!

Here's another little item I used when I was brooding under a lamp. I plugged a lamp dimmer switch into the outlet then the heat lamp into that. That way I quit having to raise or lower the lamp when I needed to reduce temperature. Instead, I'd just use the dimmer switch to lower the light output.

Helped in 3 ways...
-I didn't have to keep moving the height of the lamp
-Reduces electricity used as you lower the temperatures.
-I can totally shut off the heat lamp by sliding the switch to the full off position without having to unplug it every time.

http://www.amazon.com/Lutron-TT-300...8150&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=lamp+dimmer+cord

I GOT MINE AT MENARDS...they're pretty common in local stores like Menards, Lowes, hardware.

 

[JeffOeuf]

I was a little concerned about the same thing, but to my inquiring little fingers, the plastic seems cool even right next to the heater. The water is drawing the heat off the contact area fast enough that the plastic doesn't seem to be heating up at all.

I don't think the heater is hot enough to ignite anything. Remember, the design is to be on the bottom of an engine oil pan. They could be in the proximity of highly flammable drips and spills, so I think the manufacturers have kept that temp down below ignition point.

Glass or ceramic might work. If going with something other than plastic, I think I would check out a used restaurant supply to see if I could come up with a stainless steel vessel of some sort. Stainless would be fine with ACV, but new would be out of my budget.

 

[delisha]

Quote: Wow...I'm impressed that the whole pipe assembly didn't freeze. Do you have any concerns that it may be hot enough to start a fire if it somehow came off the bucket and fell into the wood shavings or straw?

*****************************

Now another heat question - since it's that hot, how do you think it's affecting the plastic? What I mean here is...FOR ME (this may not be an issue to anyone else!!) ....I don't like using plastic much because I don't like the idea of the chemicals leaching into the water. With the addition of heat I'm thinking that would make it even more likely to leach into the water.....

So...now this has me thinking......

Again...bear with me here...this is just MY THING.....
I had been thinking when I first got these that if I liked them I wanted to try to figure out a way to attach them to something besides plastic - like ceramic or glass. I was thinking of the gallon iced tea type dispensers that are glass with a spigot. Those spigots just screw into the holes cut in the glass just like these on our plastic buckets but the glass edges have been heated or sealed in some way to prevent sharp edges. I've seen those same spigots used on ceramic just like that.

So...if I could figure out a way to get a nice ceramic or thick glass container, then use one of those heaters...well then I think I'd have exactly what I'd like!
They make beautiful ones to catch water.

 

[delisha]

 

[Bulldogma]

New Blog of the Day is up!!

I've had 5 eggs so far, and they were all fertilized. Duke getting the job done.

On the other hand, he attacked me yesterday when I pet one of the girls sitting in the nest boxes.

Leigh, would Delisha's post make another good "what do I do about an aggressive roo?" post on the blog? I thought she explained it very well--must establish you are alpha, must not tolerate aggression, not at all "mean."

Well - I already have This One up. Leave it, or replace it? Let me know what you think!

I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING!!!!!

So...how in the heck did you see that??? I think I need a pair of glasses!

Pfffttt! I had to squint like heck, and even then it was just a guess - LOL!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Good ideas. I was looking at my glass pyrex storage containers and wondering if they might have something with that thick pyrex glass but tall enough to create the water pressure needed. Those thick pyrex walls may just do the trick...

With ceramic you have to be sure it's relatively new and lead-free. A lot of the glazes had lead...even in the crock pots that many of us use. Someone caught that little problem and began making the crock inserts with lead-free glazes. Interestingly enough it hasn't been that long that the lead-free glazes have been on the market. I used to LOVE those old 5 and 3 gallon "pickling" crocks but you'd have to get a new one to avoid the lead if you were going to use them for food.

 

[mlowen]

[/B]Well - I already have This One up. Leave it, or replace it? Let me know what you think!

Could there be both? Bee's is great, and longer and also about children with Roos. Delisha's is shorter, more succinct and more about the "farmer," herself.