# How to make a Heating Barrel?



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I know there are a lot of people on here that use them. I finally got some today, they are from a car wash, and just need to be washed out.

What is the easiest way to cut a door & mount a heat lamp? I don't want a heat lamp permanently mounted so I need to find a way to do it so it can be inserted only when needed 
Pics would be great if anyone has any!

We use the silver lights like these. 









Thanks!


----------



## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Im interested too , i always though those were awesome !


----------



## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

Also interested, would love to get my hands on some of these.


----------



## Frosty (Feb 13, 2010)

I would be interested in how this is done also.


----------



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

There are some basic instructions on the net, I will find and post, but I am curious what everyone who does use them has done to make it easy & make the light temporary so you can remove if not needed.

Last winter we kidded out in brutal cold, and made temporary boxes out of scrap wood, kinda like a barrel in a way, and it worked GREAT. Barrels would be so much easier to rig up than a wooden box that my husband doesn't have time to mess with on helping me cut lol.

Check with car washes, that's where someone told me to look and they had several. He said they had soap in them and just need to be rinsed out well. They were $8 each.

Container companies have them too, but I think they were $16 for one at our local Container company.


----------



## harleybarley (Sep 15, 2014)

My way isn't particularly easy. I use a sawzall to cut the door and then file the edge (dremel might work better?). Cut a hand-sized hole in the side near the top (sawzall or hole saw). Drop a string through it, tie to lamp and use the string to pull the lamp up. Clip the lamp onto the side of the barrel at the hole, making very sure it doesn't touch anything and won't move; orient the cord towards the wall so goats can't play with it. Drill a few small holes in the top for ventilation.


----------



## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

I left the top open- hung the light over the top and cut a door at the bottom with tin snips.
But, I use the enclosed lights from Premier 1.







I also used some snaps and hooked the 
barrel to the side of the pen, so it wouldn't tip over if anyone jumped on it.

I like harleybarley's way. More heat would stay inside. (mine came with the top cut out.).


----------



## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

You don't want, or need a "lamp" in the barrel. You want to install a porcelain ceiling lamp holder in the top of the barrel that your bulb can be screwed into. The barrel itself basically is a "lamp". 
http://www.amazon.com/Leviton-9875-...4?s=lamps-light&ie=UTF8&qid=1420651557&sr=1-4
Have the hardware store person find a wire box that will accommodate the lamp holder. This piece protects the wiring job from your extension chord to the lamp holder. There are many kinds of these boxes. You just have to figure out what will work.
http://www.amazon.com/Hubbell-296-4..._sim_hi_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1XK82QS18K4P7NW74175
If you have *both* these pieces and an extension chord with the female end cut off, you can set up a warming barrel. Strip the wire on the extension chord. The black wire goes to the "gold" screw. The white wire goes to the "silver" screw. the other wire does nothing and shouldn't be stripped.


----------



## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Here's an internet article of interest. This person does things a little differently than me, but it still is the same idea.

http://onpasture.com/2014/03/03/dont-burn-down-your-barn/


----------



## cowgirlboergoats (Apr 29, 2012)

We use oil barrels, that are washed out. My dad cut a whole in the metal with a blowtorch, big enough for large kids to get in. He also takes out the bottem. Then he take a heat lamp and we have a few that are like Hoosiershadow, we take of the camps. Dad puts them in the barrel, using the hole. He takes the cord and put it though the same hole were they put and take out the oil. He takes some wire and tries it to the barrel and plug it in. It works great for our kids even though there is a little sharp pieces here and there, we had(knock on wood) not had any injuries.


----------



## burtfarms (Apr 4, 2013)

cool, thanks i am making some of these tomorrow. has anyone had a problem with the kids getting in and out of them to nurse?


----------



## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

burtfarms said:


> cool, thanks i am making some of these tomorrow. has anyone had a problem with the kids getting in and out of them to nurse?


No. I put the first kid in there right away while mom is having #2 to warm up. They figure it out fast. When they get hungry, they come out. A bigger problem is the does wanting "in". A lot of does will stand there with their head in the door staring at her babies at first. I think these barrels help prevent kids getting laid on too. If it's cold, I use the heat bulb. I have 500w and 250w heat bulbs and use depending on the temperature. I wean them down to a 100w light bulb as the kids gain the ability to regulate their own temperature. The kids get in the habit of that being their house and will lay in there even without a bulb on. I wouldn't go back to kidding without these. I call them my "easy bake ovens". emphasis on the "easy".

eta. I screw the lid of the barrel into a corner with a couple of 3 inch hex screws, which makes them almost impossible to knock over.


----------



## harleybarley (Sep 15, 2014)

Tenacross said:


> Here's an internet article of interest. This person does things a little differently than me, but it still is the same idea.
> 
> http://onpasture.com/2014/03/03/dont-burn-down-your-barn/


That looks much safer than mine! With the light permanently mounted to the barrel, it can't get knocked loose.

Thanks for sharing a great link!


----------



## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Tenacross said:


> No. I put the first kid in there right away while mom is having #2 to warm up. They figure it out fast. When they get hungry, they come out. A bigger problem is the does wanting "in". A lot of does will stand there with their head in the door staring at her babies at first. I think these barrels help prevent kids getting laid on too. If it's cold, I use the heat bulb. I have 500w and 250w heat bulbs and use depending on the temperature. I wean them down to a 100w light bulb as the kids gain the ability to regulate their own temperature. The kids get in the habit of that being their house and will lay in there even without a bulb on. I wouldn't go back to kidding without these. I call them my "easy bake ovens". emphasis on the "easy".
> 
> eta. I screw the lid of the barrel into a corner with a couple of 3 inch hex screws, which makes them almost impossible to knock over.


Easy bake ovens , :ROFL: Great ideas , thanks


----------



## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

Can't wait to locate some of these barrels, I didn't know that they actually had light sockets mounted into them, always thought that they just had heat lamps in them. Pretty excited to test my wiring skills out again, sounds similar to what I had to do to make a coolerbator. 

How many kids fit in a barrel? These barrels are similar to the big blue barrels that are probably 2-3' across right? Or do you have to have a certain kind to prevent melting or anything?


----------



## Frosty (Feb 13, 2010)

What a wonderful idea. Thanks for posting the links. Going to look into making a couple. I think they might work great for young chicks to when you first put them outside..


----------



## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Lstein said:


> How many kids fit in a barrel? These barrels are similar to the big blue barrels that are probably 2-3' across right? Or do you have to have a certain kind to prevent melting or anything?


There is plenty of room for triplets and quads. Yes, I think you are thinking of the right barrel. I believe they are 55 gallon drums. I've only used the blue plastic ones. I've had zero problem with the plastic melting when using the ceramic light sockets.


----------



## smalldreamer (Aug 5, 2013)

I took some pictures of ours. My husband does wire it to the fence so mom don't knock it over. 55 gal fits triplets easily and at least 3 cats

Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


----------



## christinajh (Jan 24, 2013)

Can you use metal barrels for these? I have access to some food grade ones for $10, but I haven't been able to find the plastic ones for that price.


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

No. It has to be plastic.


----------



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks so much! Tim that definitely helped a bunch, I told my husband about it and he wants to look at the link you gave. Looks simple enough as long as we get the right light/wire lol. 
We typically use 150-250watt heat lamps. We try to keep them on for a minimum time, just depends on temps. Last year we kidded in such brutal cold temps. This year we might get lucky and have 30s/20s. We don't use heat lamps after kids are dry unless we feel they need them. But we're definitely hoping they will sleep in the barrel.
Our stall walls/barn walls are pallets, so lots of ways to attach the barrel to the walls. I don't want anything permanent though, I want to be able to remove the barrels when we don't need them, or if I need to move them, and use them in other areas.


----------



## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

That's one of the beauties of the barrels, they aren't permanent. Using the hex screws and a power drill to screw them to the wall, you can also back out those same screws, pull the barrel and store them.


----------



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Ok hubby compared pics, instructions with a couple we saw on the web and some that were suggested, and what we came up with is... using our nice brooder light, he cut a hole in the center of the top of the barrel, and will be screwing it on, so it sits just like the one in the link Tenacross gave. I need to pick up the screws, and brackets tomorrow, but this should work very well. For the wire, he has some extra water pipe, It's small I think it's the 1" pipe, he's going to cut it and cover the exposed wire with that so mom's can't chew on the wire.

This is the light, I was told they are made for this kind of stuff 
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/producers-pridereg;-brooder-lamp-with-6-ft-cord

Once we get it mounted, and secured, I'll get pics for opinions. We have 3 barrels, but we only plan on putting lights in 2 of them. We also won't be keeping them running 24/7 if we do need to use the lights. But in the event we have weak kids, or have a kidding on a cold night, we'll be prepared  
Temps are supposed to shape up by the end of the week, which is amazing, so long as they keep it that way. Mid to upper 40s, and low in the 30s.


----------



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

So we got the heating barrels done, and finally 
got some pics.
We used the TSC lights I posted above, we pulled it through a hole my husband made in the top, and he put the clamp end on it VERY tightly to help hold it in place. It's not going anywhere 
He took an old hose we have, slit a hole down one side, and pulled the wire through. When we're ready to use them, we'll use some zip ties and tie them to the pallet wall. He secured the barrels to the corner using strong rope, and eye hooks.










3 barrels, 2 fitted with lights, 3rd has hole for light if we need to move a light from another barrel 
BTW, this part of the barn is 16' deep x 12' across, so it's not as small as it looks in the pic lol

We don't have electric in the barn, we use heavy duty power cord from the house. Christmas lights are awesome for nighttime checks! I also have the utility lights I can move as I need <they are secured with wire>.


----------



## christinajh (Jan 24, 2013)

I love the idea of Christmas lights! Too bad I threw mine all away! I just made my first barrel, and I have one more to make at some point.


----------



## ProvidenceHill (Sep 9, 2013)

How do you protect the cord coming out of the top from other goats chewing on it? It seems like the first thing my does do when there's something new in their pen is go take a nibble. I'd be worried someone would chomp on it and get juiced. Does anyone rig up a wire sleeve or something for it, or am I just being paranoid?


----------



## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

You could always use PVC pipe


----------



## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Or cut a water hose and feed the plug through it. I always worry about that with my guys . that would be the first thing my herd would do too


----------



## ProvidenceHill (Sep 9, 2013)

PVC sounds like a great idea, I don't know why I didn't think of that!


----------



## imthegrt1 (Jan 13, 2013)

Looks good.smart thinking useing the rope to keep the barrel in place.


----------



## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

The barrel is quite a bit taller than most goats. I just tuck the cord back against the wall. I've never seen a goat even close to it.


----------



## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

We use pvc and it works great. One suggestion I would make is to cut the bottom of the Barrels out. That way when the kids piddle in there it has somewhere to go. Otherwise they get pretty yucky.


----------



## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

I've found very few kids pee in the barrels. They walk outside, stretch, and pee. I keep the bottoms in and fill them with stall pellets and throw a little local hay on top. It probably doesn't matter though.


----------

