Winter brings many challenges for the backyard chicken-keeper, and frozen water is chief among them.  You can make your own waterer heater for use with either metal or plastic waterers. It will cost less than $10, cost pennies to run and you can complete the project in under ten minutes! Make your own waterer heater for use with either metal or plastic waterers. It will cost less than $10, cost pennies to run and you can complete the project in under ten minutes!

We had record-breaking, sub-zero temperatures for long periods of time in 2010 here in Connectictut and my waterers never iced over the way they used to without these heaters.  It doesn’t seem as though a humble, 40 watt lightbulb should be able to produce enough warmth to keep the water in a plastic waterer from icing over, but remarkably, it does!

It doesn't seem as though a humble, 40 watt lightbulb should be able to produce enough warmth to keep the water in a plastic waterer from icing over, but remarkably, it does!

Supplies:

  • 10″, metal cookie tin (available at most dollar & thrift stores & likely in your garage or basement)
  • lamp assembly kit (available oniline, at hardware & home improvement stores OR buy a thrift store/tag sale lamp and take it apart)0
  • 40 watt, incandescent light bulb (in deep-freeze conditions, use a 60 watt bulb)(in light of the government phase-out, some users recommend 40 watt candelabra bulbs or CFL bulbs, but I have not, so I cannot vouch for their effectiveness)
  • Drill with 3/8″ drill bit
Lamp assembly parts.
Lamp assembly parts

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Drill a hole in the side of the cookie tin.

String the pre-threaded lamp stem assembly through the hole & tighten the screw on the stem.

2. String the pre-threaded lamp stem assembly through the hole & tighten the screw on the stem.

Screw in the light bulb.

3. Screw in the light bulb. Voila!

TO USE:

Put the top on the cookie tin and place the tin on a cinder block or another level surface in the chicken run.  Plug into a GFI outlet. Place metal or plastic waterer on top of the water heater when freezing temperatures are anticipated. Disconnect when not in use or use a ThermoCube to turn the unit on when temperatures reache 35°F.

It doesn't seem as though a humble, 40 watt lightbulb should be able to produce enough warmth to keep the water in a plastic waterer from icing over, but remarkably, it does!

When I made my first cookie tin water heater, I found it difficult to believe that this device, which barely felt warm to the touch, could possibly do the intended job. I was only convinced the first frigid morning I went out into the run and found no ice ring to chip out of the waterer. You may have to try it to believe it too.

Plastic Poultry waterer on Cookie tin water heater

Kathy Shea Mormino

Affectionately known internationally as The Chicken Chick®, Kathy Shea Mormino shares a fun-loving, informative style to raising backyard chickens. …Read on

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Winter brings many challenges for the backyard chicken-keeper, and frozen water is chief among them.  You can make your own waterer heater for use with either metal or plastic waterers. It will cost less than $10, cost pennies to run and you can complete the project in under ten minutes! Make your own waterer heater for use with either metal or plastic waterers. It will cost less than $10, cost pennies to run and you can complete the project in under ten minutes!

We had record-breaking, sub-zero temperatures for long periods of time in 2010 here in Connectictut and my waterers never iced over the way they used to without these heaters.  It doesn’t seem as though a humble, 40 watt lightbulb should be able to produce enough warmth to keep the water in a plastic waterer from icing over, but remarkably, it does!

It doesn't seem as though a humble, 40 watt lightbulb should be able to produce enough warmth to keep the water in a plastic waterer from icing over, but remarkably, it does!

Supplies:

  • 10″, metal cookie tin (available at most dollar & thrift stores & likely in your garage or basement)
  • lamp assembly kit (available oniline, at hardware & home improvement stores OR buy a thrift store/tag sale lamp and take it apart)0
  • 40 watt, incandescent light bulb (in deep-freeze conditions, use a 60 watt bulb)(in light of the government phase-out, some users recommend 40 watt candelabra bulbs or CFL bulbs, but I have not, so I cannot vouch for their effectiveness)
  • Drill with 3/8″ drill bit
Lamp assembly parts.
Lamp assembly parts

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Drill a hole in the side of the cookie tin.

String the pre-threaded lamp stem assembly through the hole & tighten the screw on the stem.

2. String the pre-threaded lamp stem assembly through the hole & tighten the screw on the stem.

Screw in the light bulb.

3. Screw in the light bulb. Voila!

TO USE:

Put the top on the cookie tin and place the tin on a cinder block or another level surface in the chicken run.  Plug into a GFI outlet. Place metal or plastic waterer on top of the water heater when freezing temperatures are anticipated. Disconnect when not in use or use a ThermoCube to turn the unit on when temperatures reache 35°F.

It doesn't seem as though a humble, 40 watt lightbulb should be able to produce enough warmth to keep the water in a plastic waterer from icing over, but remarkably, it does!

When I made my first cookie tin water heater, I found it difficult to believe that this device, which barely felt warm to the touch, could possibly do the intended job. I was only convinced the first frigid morning I went out into the run and found no ice ring to chip out of the waterer. You may have to try it to believe it too.

Plastic Poultry waterer on Cookie tin water heater
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Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

Have to add this to DH's Honey-Do List!

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

I will definately be doing this. What a great idea.

ADozenGirlz
12 years ago

It really is very simple and effective. It's not going to keep your morning coffee piping hot, but it will allow you to avoid taking an ice pick to your waterer every morning in freezing temperatures!

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

this is so awesome even I can do it!!!!!

Randy
12 years ago

Cool or hot might I say :)

Anonymous
Anonymous
Reply to  Randy
12 years ago

Why not run the cord through the hollow threaded rod? Then you won't have to worry about the hole in the tin chaffing the cord. One less hole to drill, too.

ADozenGirlz/The Chicken Chick
Reply to  Randy
12 years ago

Interesting suggestion, I had no idea you could re-thread the cord through the rod. Good thinking!

Sandy
Sandy
Reply to  Randy
12 years ago

Thanks for the Wonderful Idea! I went right out and tried this myself. It is very easy and can't wait to use it: )I did use a fixture that the cord ran down the rod though.

coonpuppy
Reply to  Randy
11 years ago

great idea

Frank and Trudi
Reply to  Randy
11 years ago

My husband just made one for our coop last night! It works wonderfully! We had seen your post about it a couple weeks ago. Thanks so much for sharing it!

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