Forecast: 100% Chance Of Freezing Bunny Water

Brrrr! 5 degrees F this morning when I woke up. Its not been above freezing once since the snow came in. I've made trips out to the rabbit hutches 4 times a day to replace frozen waterers. I am SO happy that on October 8th, before I knew all this cold was coming, I had purchased 4 extra rabbit waterers to use in the winter. I just bring the frozen ones in, and replace them with the thawed ones. Its been working great.
     The chicken water was another thing entirely. I had recently purchased a 5 gallon galvanized waterer. When 5 gallons freezes in a few hours, you know its cold! I didn't have the funds to spend the $50.00 on a heater base for the waterer, nor did I want to buy one of the plastic ones that  you plug in. I have not had much luck with the plastic waterers holding up over time, so I wanted to go with the galvanized. On the Backyard Chickens Forum , we found the tutorial for constructing our own heated base. It was extremely easy!

Ingredients:   Metal Tin w/ a lid. (we used a cookie tin)
                    Corded Socket Set like the one shown here. We picked it up at the hardware store for $8.
                    Drill and tin snips to make the 1" inch hole in the tin to insert the socket.
                    Silicone to hold the Socket in place if you do not get a snap in model.
                    40 watt bulb (the ones shaped like a candle)

Directions:
                     1. Drill a hole in the side of the tin (midway between top and bottom), just to give your tinsnips a place to start.
                          
                     2. Cut a one inch hole where you will insert your socket and bulb.

                     3. Mount the socket, either with the clips that come on the corded set, or with silicone if yours doesn't have clips.
                    
                      4. Screw the bulb into the inside of your tin and replace the lid.

Thats it! It has kept my 5 gallon waterer from freezing in near 0 degree temps!