January 17, 2016
An afternoon project, we finished the DIY cookie tin heater for the chicken's one gallon waterer right before freezing day-time temperatures hit TN tomorrow. Visit http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/11/make-cookie-tin-waterer-heater-under-10.html for great instructions. Simple, quick, and basically free if you have a cookie tin, an old lamp, and an average 40 watt light bulb. And, it works great!
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| This is not my picture, but, it is a perfect representative of a cookie tin heater, just like mine! |
November 23, 2016
With the addition of three more chicken tractors, I am in the process of making 3 more cookie tin heaters. This year, I am using night lights (-$3 each) that do not have auto off-on switch. These bulbs get amazingly hot, but, "Will they get hot enough"? I'll report back later!
January 5, 2017
The next three days will test the new, night-light style, cookie tin heaters with 29, 30, 32 for highs, and 14, 12, 14 for the lows (not including "feels like" temperatures). Tonight, it will be 20 degrees. I will leave the heaters on, then check them tomorrow morning to see if the water is frozen. Extended weather outlook has TN back in the 40s and up to 59 next week. Gotta love Tennessee winters!
January 6, 2017
9 a.m., it's 24 with "feels like" temperature at 9 degrees. Snowing and slight breeze, 8-9N.
With night light bulb: Ice had formed in the bowl, not solid, and there was minimal water access. Ice had formed inside the dome, around the water line with a slight ice layer on top of that water.
With average 40 watt bulb: No ice in bowl and complete access to water around bowl. Icy around the water line inside dome.
Response to results: Semi-satisfied. The night light bulbs kept solid ice from forming at those temperatures, which means the chickens have access to water. The cookie tin heater with the average 40 watt bulb had better results at the above conditions.
Action: Purchased three 40 watt candelabra bulbs to replace the night light bulbs. The bulb shape will still fit inside the less deep, smaller cookie tin heaters. Test results will follow of the performance of the candelabra bulbs when temperature and wind chill are similar to Test 1 in consecutive days.
January 5, 2017
The next three days will test the new, night-light style, cookie tin heaters with 29, 30, 32 for highs, and 14, 12, 14 for the lows (not including "feels like" temperatures). Tonight, it will be 20 degrees. I will leave the heaters on, then check them tomorrow morning to see if the water is frozen. Extended weather outlook has TN back in the 40s and up to 59 next week. Gotta love Tennessee winters!
January 6, 2017
9 a.m., it's 24 with "feels like" temperature at 9 degrees. Snowing and slight breeze, 8-9N.
Performance Report After Overnight Test 1
Approx 20 degrees, wind chill 4
Approx 20 degrees, wind chill 4
With night light bulb: Ice had formed in the bowl, not solid, and there was minimal water access. Ice had formed inside the dome, around the water line with a slight ice layer on top of that water.
With average 40 watt bulb: No ice in bowl and complete access to water around bowl. Icy around the water line inside dome.
Response to results: Semi-satisfied. The night light bulbs kept solid ice from forming at those temperatures, which means the chickens have access to water. The cookie tin heater with the average 40 watt bulb had better results at the above conditions.
Action: Purchased three 40 watt candelabra bulbs to replace the night light bulbs. The bulb shape will still fit inside the less deep, smaller cookie tin heaters. Test results will follow of the performance of the candelabra bulbs when temperature and wind chill are similar to Test 1 in consecutive days.
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