Water freezing

[ChickInDelight]

*Just above it* --- so the bottom of the waterer did NOT touch the top of the cookie tin at all ??
Just to show that anything warm underneath is sufficient, I assume !

About cookie tins ...
For some idiotic reason, I was NOT capable of finding a cookie tin
anywhere in the house or at the neighbours !,
I even looked for something like a cookie tin at Walmart.
What I did find was those baking pans and thus made mine that way.

I found my tin at a second hand store. Beware - these things get hot enough to burn wood and bedding.

 

[JackE]

I don't feed and water in the coop. I don't want the mess from the food, and I don't want the moisture from the water. (I also don't want extra poo in the coop.) I have a covered feeding station for the food, but the water is NOT covered. I did not think I should have to worry about rainwater. Should I worry?

The chickens like to drink out of my nasty old rain barrels (actually uncovered rectangular totes).

In nice weather, I have an automatic waterer hooked to the hose. I only use the bucket and heater when the hose could freeze.

I hope you have that plugged into a GFI protected outlet, or YES, you may have something to worry about. When it rains, that hole will fill up with water, and if you don't have that thing plugged into a GFI outlet, you could have a big shock/electrocution problem. Electricity and water don't play well.

 

[JackE]

I found my tin at a second hand store. Beware - these things get hot enough to burn wood and bedding.

If you run a 150W bulb in there, yes it's going to get hot.
I have a 40W bulb in my cookie tin heater and it has no problem keeping my water fount de-iced, and you can lay your hand on it any time. There is no danger of it burning anything.

 

[ChickInDelight]

I hope you have that plugged into a GFI protected outlet, or YES, you may have something to worry about. When it rains, that hole will fill up with water, and if you don't have that thing plugged into a GFI outlet, you could have a big shock/electrocution problem. Electricity and water don't play well.

Good point! I have it plugged into a power strip with surge protection. Is that adequate?

 

[JackE]

Good point! I have it plugged into a power strip with surge protection. Is that adequate?

No, The surge protector is to protect whatever is plugged into it from electrical power surges that may happen, for example, if your house gets hit by lightening. The GFI, if it senses a big short, like an electrical device dropped into a bath tub, will immediately cut off power from the outlet.

Usually the outlets on the outside of your house, are either going to be GFI outlets, or the outside outlets are going to be protected with an GFI breaker, in your house's electrical panel. If that's not the case, them what you have is VERY dangerous. Unplug it. I would not even want to put something like the cookie tin heater outside and exposed to the weather. My fount warmer is in the coop, where it is protected from the weather.

I want to add, If it were to rain, and that hole were to fill up, and water gets into that cookie tin, and you don't have GFI protection, The wet ground around that hole will be electrified, and can KILL YOU. I want to stress that.

 

[ChickInDelight]

No, The surge protector is to protect whatever is plugged into it from electrical power surges that may happen, for example, if your house gets hit by lightening. The GFI, if it senses a big short, like an electrical device dropped into a bath tub, will immediately cut off power from the outlet.

Usually the outlets on the outside of your house, are either going to be GFI outlets, or the outside outlets are going to be protected with an GFI breaker, in your house's electrical panel. If that's not the case, them what you have is VERY dangerous. Unplug it. I would not even want to put something like the cookie tin heater outside and exposed to the weather. My fount warmer is in the coop, where it is protected from the weather.

Thanks for the timely response! I am about to have an electrician come and upgrade / repair this 50 year old electric system. I shall unplug this until I have GFI. A million thanks! (My free-rangers are too tough for a good BBQ.)

 

[JackE]

Thanks for the timely response! I am about to have an electrician come and upgrade / repair this 50 year old electric system. I shall unplug this until I have GFI. A million thanks! (My free-rangers are too tough for a good BBQ.)

Yes, no problem.

 

[sealmonk]

I use the cider block method as well. I do not put my block in the ground though. I would worry that water would pool and cause the light fixture to short circuit. I use a 100 watt light bulb. I have never seen a 150 watt light bulb. Where did you get that from?

 

[ChickInDelight]

I use the cider block method as well. I do not put my block in the ground though. I would worry that water would pool and cause the light fixture to short circuit. I use a 100 watt light bulb. I have never seen a 150 watt light bulb. Where did you get that from?

I was looking for a 100 watt bulb and ran across this one - but I don't remember where. (I otherwise use the new, energy-efficient bulbs.)

 

[Indoroowet]

(I otherwise use the new, energy-efficient bulbs.)

Caution with *energy efficient bulbs* ...
What creates the *heat*, is the actual wattage the lamp is using.

Often energy efficient bulbs may use way less watts then the *equivalent regular* bulbs.

I have *solved* the freezing water dillema as shown in this post:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/937220/share-your-inovative-ideas-here#post_14350776

A little bit of getting stuff together but with the total amount of water I have, I only have to refill about once a week.