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Boutinc said:
I definitely do not want them to stress and will let the light be what it is without adding additional. The heater for the water will be inside the coop to keep it protected from the elements. I agree they are animals and just want to keep them happy.
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What type of waterer do you have set up? If you are keeping it in the coop, you want a more closed system as something like a heated dog bowl waterer will add a lot of moisture to the coop which you certainly don't want.
This is what I made. The bucket is food grade and cost less than $4 and the bag of 12 horizontal nipples I got off Amazon for $11. I did add some Teflon tape to the threads. You just drill 11/32" hole in the bucket and thread in the nipple. It keeps the water perfectly clean inside the coop. I just place the lid loosely on the top. My chickens don't stay in the coop other than for sleeping, egg laying and getting a drink so I've not had any problem with them perching and pooping on the lid. I bought a used thermostatically controlled bird bath heater that is safe for contact with plastic that I will put in it for the winter. You can also use a low watt aquarium heater that is secured inside a metal cage to keep it from touching the bucket to keep the water from freezing. This is just one closed system, easy to maintain winter water option for those who have access to electricity in their coops.
horizontal nipple waterer.jpg
 
Welcome :welcome Nice to have you here! Adding some bigger tree branches or logs to roost on, a cabbage or ear of corn or apple on a string, chicken swing etc to the run will provide some entertainment for your flock :) For winter - I usually cover the sides of the coop with thick clear plastic leaving a few inches along the top open for good ventilation. It allows light to come in, wind and snow out. I also rake a really thick layer of dry leaves in the run late fall, it gives the girls something to scratch around in and the leaves break down completely by spring. Make sure you don’t close the coop up too tightly, you want good ventilation but no draft on the birds. Moisture and cold can cause frostbite.
 
Boutinc said:
I have this one. Should I hang it outside?
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That is not a "winterizable" waterer. It's fine for warm weather.
Look into making something you can use for winter with a heater in it.
If you go the route I suggested, you'd want to do it now to train the birds to use the horizontal nipples.
 
Hello and welcome to BYC Carla, depends on the breed, My Rhode Island reds and EE produced from the flock lay all winter without extra lighting though they do seem to want more protein , They also tend to lay down in the protected corner of the coop where they usually brood during the warmer months as it is kept with a mixture of garden soil,and straw. My flock doesn't get any extra light or heat and do fine
 
I used this type of heated waterer for a while... I recommend that you don’t hang it. True, it keeps the water from freezing. However - I found out the hard way that even carrying it by the handle when 2/3 full resulted in a partial bath for me on my way to the coop on a cold day. Not pleasant!!! I also wouldn’t use it year round, it will not last. Best is to fill it 2/3 and make sure the base is locked in place, carry upside down (not using handle and don’t carry it by the base) and then flip it over without splashing water all over yourself or in the coop, I set mine on a cinder block so there was no contact with the shavings, the chickens could easily drink and no shavings were kicked in the water. I used one of those heavy plastic casings for cords as I don’t have an outlet in the coop and ran heavy duty extension cord. I had to change water every other day because I couldn’t fill it all the way but the water also doesn’t stay clean in the plastic for long. So.... with some care and precautions it lasted 2 winters then it broke. I ended up buying another one because it was still freezing and I was in a hurry. I used the new one for another winter and now it sits in the garage :idunno Try it out before you ‘need’ it so you know what to expect. I also ended up with a bird bath heater if needed. For the most part I use those black rubber bowls (in the horse section) and I change water a couple of times a day when it freezes. Coop is close enough to the house and I work from home. The ice is easy enough to get out of the bowl, if a frozen block you can flip the bowl over on the ground and stomp on the bottom....
 

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