# By Request- The Warming Barrel!- pics have been uploaded.



## jodief100 (Jan 25, 2011)

Hubby made the warming barrel.  First he cut the bottom off a 55 gallon plastic drum.  Mine was food grade, used once.  I scrubbed it a lot but it still smells like apples.  

Then he cut the little door in the side.







Inside the top he installed an electrical box and cheap light fixture.  He put a piece of 2 x 4 on the outside on top and screwed the fixture through the barrel into that.  






Then he hardwired the box to an electrical cord using a romex fitting.  Well, he hardwired it first and then installed it in the barrel.  He tells me the most difficult part is reaching all the way down into the barrel to screw he fixture in.  
Picture in the top on the inside.





He said if he had to buy everything it would have been about $4.00, plus the barrel. He scrounged most of it.


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## ksalvagno (Jan 25, 2011)

This is great. Thanks!


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## Our7Wonders (Jan 25, 2011)

Very nice!!  Is it pretty sturdy in and of itself or do you have to secure it down?  I like this idea alot!  thanks for sharing!


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## jodief100 (Jan 25, 2011)

Our7Wonders said:
			
		

> Very nice!!  Is it pretty sturdy in and of itself or do you have to secure it down?  I like this idea alot!  thanks for sharing!


It would stay upright all by itself if the big goats didn't knock it around.  I have it tied to the wall on short cords on two sides.  

I have seen 8 kids in there at once.  They get in an snuggle.  It stays real warm.


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## Our7Wonders (Jan 25, 2011)

I really, really like this idea, especially if we end up bottle feeding the babies.  Thanks - great idea!!


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## AkTomboy (Jan 26, 2011)

great idea thank you for the pictures


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## msjuris (Jan 26, 2011)

That is awesome.  Thanks for posting this.


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## julieq (Jan 26, 2011)

A breeder I know locally had her husband build a bunch of these out of wood, poor guy!  They're really nice, but these plastic barrels make so much more sense as they are lighter weight and can be cleaned so easily.  Thanks so much for sharing the photos!


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## Lady Jane (Jan 26, 2011)

That looks like an awesome idea. Thanks for sharing. I had been worried about keeping the kids warm if they are born this winter. This would be a good addition to the barn.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jan 26, 2011)




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## PJisaMom (Jan 26, 2011)

Just a regular old lightbulb?


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## glenolam (Jan 26, 2011)

Believe it or not, my friend's hubby built the same type of thing out of the white barrells and sold them for $50 each on craigslist!  Good thing I'm her friend - I get one for free if/when I want one!


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## jodief100 (Jan 26, 2011)

PJisaMom said:
			
		

> Just a regular old lightbulb?


Yup!  I think it is 100 Watts.  The close quarters retains heat very well.  At least until you can't get them anymore.  Not sure what I am going to do after that. The chicken water heater runs on a light bulb too.


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## jodief100 (Jan 26, 2011)

glenolam said:
			
		

> Believe it or not, my friend's hubby built the same type of thing out of the white barrells and sold them for $50 each on craigslist!  Good thing I'm her friend - I get one for free if/when I want one!


$50
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  You have to be kidding me!

I wouldn't charge more than $25.  You can pick between one smelling like apples, maple or vannila.


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## PJisaMom (Jan 26, 2011)

jodief100 said:
			
		

> PJisaMom said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Awesome, thanks!  

_***Off to buy a secret supply of 100 watt bulbs to hide in the emergency kit... ***_


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## autumnprairie (Jan 4, 2012)

Thanks Jodie


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## 20kidsonhill (Jan 4, 2012)

we use heatlamp bulbs in ours.

and we dont' cut the end off of ours either, just cut a tunnel shapped hole into the side, just big enough for a kid to go in and out.

then attach a heat lamp to the top by drilling a hole just big enough for the bulb to go through and screwing the two halfs of the heat lamp back together through the hole. 

I do think if you over use them on a nice day, it doesn't do your kids any good, so I would only use them on newborns drying off and for the first couple of days, or if it is really really cold out. below15 degrees. depends on how old the kid is.


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## 20kidsonhill (Jan 13, 2012)

I just thought of something.  My dad was recently at a light bulb display at  sam's club. The gentleman was explaining and showing the different kids of lightbulbs that are now out, energy efficient and so forth.   Well, by dad said that within a year or two they will no longer be making standard 100 watt bulbs, then they will phase out the standard 75 watt, ect......  So I would say based on that, in the next 5 years or so, you will have to purchase heat lamp bulbs. Because 100 watt bulbs will all be energy effiecient and they wont put het off.  

He also said that if you are buying the curly energy efficient lught bulbs, you have to leave them on the first time you turn them on for several hours to build up the gasses in them, or they wont work properly for the remainder of their life span. 

Next is going to be LED light for the house.


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## 20kidsonhill (Jan 13, 2012)

so I guess, I am thinking, if you are taking the time to build these barrells, you may want to check about putting a standard light fixture in them, because I don't think you could use heat lamp bulbs in a standard fixture. Then you will end up redoing your barrells.  

Just a heads up.


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## hollycow (Jan 13, 2012)

jodief100 said:
			
		

> The chicken water heater runs on a light bulb too.


I know this is an older thread but Jodie do you have instructions/pics of the chicken water heater?  Thanks!


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## ksalvagno (Jan 13, 2012)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> so I guess, I am thinking, if you are taking the time to build these barrells, you may want to check about putting a standard light fixture in them, because I don't think you could use heat lamp bulbs in a standard fixture. Then you will end up redoing your barrells.
> 
> Just a heads up.


Or just stock up on lots of bulbs.


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## Vumani (Jan 18, 2012)

This is great! I was just getting ready to build a warming box, this is a much better approach. Thanks!


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## redtailgal (Jan 18, 2012)

actually, you can get heat lamps to go into a regular bulb socket.  Just look in the reptile section of your local pet store.  A 100 watt "basking" bulb will do the trick.

My iguana loves the same bulb that I used for my biddies!  Just make sure that you are not getting A UVB.  Unless the UVB is a mercury vapor bulb, they wont put out enough heat.  The UVB light with mercury vapor will put off plenty of heat but they are around 40$.  

FOr goats, I would get a 100watt dessert style basking bulb (about 14$)


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## Goat Whisperer (Dec 1, 2015)

Just bumping this old thread up a bit for the folks who may not have seen it


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## chiques chicks (Dec 2, 2015)

Halogen bulbs, while still more efficient than the old style bulbs, still produce a decent amount of heat. I've switched to them in my incubators since they are sometimes easier to find.


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 14, 2018)

@AFewGoatsForMe check out this thread! The only difference with mine is that my DH folded the guard to get the heat lamp in then opened it up as he wanted to guide the heat down and have more shield between the bulb and plastic. He also used the red bulbs by his preference. Our goat kid opening is only 6” wide and 9” tall to keep Mom from crawling in. They still get their heads in.


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## Bruce (Apr 14, 2018)

When you are thinking of bulbs to use be careful NOT to get a teflon coated one. Someone on BYC killed all their adult chickens heating their coop (sadly since it is unnecessary!!) when their red bulb burned out and they grabbed a heat lamp they had. Didn't realize the danger from the teflon off gassing, it was a bulb used in restaurants to keep food warm.


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