I am reluctant to put a wateter inside the coop. It gets very hot here, and very humid. Even with precautions taken against spillage I feel like there will be incidental spillage that will increase moisture inside the coop (I know, I know, ventilation, but I also want to prevent unnecessary moisture.) So, how crucial is an in-coop waterer for nighttime?
There is no need to put water in the coop as long as they have free choice to go outside to where the water is as soon and they are up and thirsty. If you lock them in at night you should provide water. Using a hanging waterer will aviod spilling.
If I might sneak in here looking for some clarification... My coop is 24 sq ft, run is 32 sq ft, the coop is about 3 ft off the ground, with a rather long ramp leading up to the door. My girls are only five weeks old and yesterday was their first day with full access to the run. I had to herd them up the ramp last night to get them inside, they started huddling together under the ramp when it started getting dark, I don't think they've figured out how to get back inside yet. Should I place the feed and water in the coop, or in the run? They know where their water is(usually kept in the coop), but if they can't figure out how to get back inside, they might dehydrate. I don't want them to get hungry while outside, but if I leave the food inside they might be more likely to want to go back inside. So, food and water inside the coop where they know it is and will return to, or outside where they will spend most of their day?
msviolaceous - i would keep it outside of the coop. If they are only in the coop at night to sleep, then they will not be drinking then and there is no need for the waterer inside. I would find the shady spot in the run and attach the waterer there. If you are using a 5 gallon bucket as the water source, you can build a wall around it to block out the sun. CSWolffe - you could start with them inside and outside until they are a bit older and you feel more confident in them getting in and out. I think they were probably just unsure and scared and that is why they did not go back in. If you put it inside, make sure you show them that it is there and they should go to it when thirsty. You might want to watch them at first to make sure they are doing ok.
Mine come in at night, eat and drink just before getting up on the roosts. I always have water in mine 24/7. I also have plenty of room and good ventilation.
My chickens are 9 weeks old. They needed help leaving the coop for a couple of days now they wait at the door and all scramble out as soon as I open up. I have food and water inside the coop. I also have water in the run. At night most of my eight go in to he henhouse by themselves and I have to herd two or three up the ramp. I think they are the same birds each time. Sometimes they won't go up the ramp so I need to pick them up and place them at the door. The other day a very bad T storm with lots of wind blew through our area. I abandoned the last three girls as they would not go in and the wind was so bad I was afraid of the trees so I went into my house. The wind let up enough so I went back to the run. The three hens were huddled together at the bottom of the ramp. I was able to just pick them up and put them in the henhouse. They were scared. Anyway... The other day it was raining and got very cold. I let them out anyway. They were pecking and scratching as usual. A little later I noticed they ALL had retired to the henhouse. So I guess they will eventually learn the routine.
what about setting a waterer on some blocks over some hardware screen so that the area drains to the ground under the coop that way the floor stays dry and they get to have water when ever they want it at worst it just gives some added ventalition to the coop
I have a metal waterer inside the coop on a large flat patio brick. It has some sort of pressure system that let's the water out even though it is a very simple design. I've never seen any spillage from the girls and they are 9 weeks old. Their food is hanging and the water is close by the food. I let them out late morning after most predators have gone away for the day, and I leave the door open. They go in and out periodically during the day to drink. They don't eat too much grain due all the free ranging and scraps we give them. Favorite so far seems to be cantelope! We live in a cold climate so in the winter I'm going to have to put something under the water to keep it from freezing. That's partly why I haven't put the main waterer outside so they'd know where it is all year long. I do have another water that on hot days I fill and leave in the yard so they can always find water.
