For my waterer in my small coop a few weeks back I constructed a simple water heater using a ceramic base with a standard light bulb. This was placed in a tin about 12 inches high and I used the lid as the base. I drilled a small hole for the cord which runs to a theromostatically controlled outlet plug. So far this approach has worked fine. The side of the tin is not as hot as I thought it would get - which is a good thing but it has been very cold here in northern PA. The galvanized waterer rests on top and this helps to keep the water cleaner. I understand that what I have done is a fairly common homemade approach and that there are concerns about overheating and fire. I have it sealed well and everything is OK "so far." Last night I was making beeswax candles (I'm a beekeeper too). It dawned on me as I was using my little $5 crock pot (black Friday special) to melt the beeswax that it would be possible to use an inexpensive crock such as this to serve as a base for a galvanized waterer. The base of the waterer would replace the lid on the crock and would be a larger diameter than the crock top but would be secure because of the weight of the filled waterer. And of course, it still would elevate the waterer. Has anyone ever done this?
Hi Chairboy. I also keeps bees and chickens, in MN, just a little colder than you. I wrote a previous post on homemade waterers and got some great ideas. I have not tried the crock pot, but it sounds like it would work well, probably safer than the metal tin heater, especially if you use the deep litter method in your coop. Someone else that posted used a 3/4 in wood frame with a metal top around their light which holds heat better than tin and is probably safer, with a 25 watt bulb though. I'd say give the crock a try. Good luck.
Hey let us know if it works and what the temperature was. It is always good to know more than one way to solve a problem. So far my Christmas cookie tin heaters are working fabulously, but just in case...
