Taking water away at night? Advice or anyone have experience

[BarredRockGirls]

My girls are 3.5 weeks so not yet ready to join my chicks in the big coop but in another 2 weeks maybe...
I was reading Storey's Guide and it said when housing them together u can and should take the water away at night for at max 9 hrs to prevent mess for land fowl.
( I wanted to do this anyway but didn't know when to start)

TheGuide also said that if started before 6 weeks prior to onset of laying maturity egg production shouldn't be impacted much.

My girls aren't messy at all . Idk they never have been but I have jug hole waterers & a tray w them and the chick waterer for the chickens is different lol

So my question is ... Anyone take water away at night ? When did u start ? Any issues ?

Being that my girls will be going to the coop soon I'd like to start night training them soon if its possible ..
thank you!

 

[Going Quackers]

My youngest here are 6wks and i don't.. mind you i leave them with feed, they must have water if they have feed. Now, i am not raising them with chickens, frankly that is one mess i avoid lol

I'll be honest and say out of 14 only 1 goes without overnight a mature drake who is stalled separately from the rest of the flock, only reason being it would be impossible too give him any with the set-up he does fine.

The rest of the birds all have access to a 3GAL waterer and a 25lb feeder in the main barn, the 6wk olds are in a stall with their own. I prefer the flexibility of knowing if i were to be delayed the majority of the ducks are not doing without, it's prime laying time the ladies need the water and nutrients imo and the babes are still in the last stages of their growth(feathering)

 

[furbabymum]

My ducks are in with my chickens, guineas and peacocks. It probably depends on coop size and flooring and such. I use a barn and it has a dirt floor. It's a massive area. I leave water out 24/7. I've always left my ducks with water 24/7. I haven't had any issues but again, large area and dirt floor to soak up mess.

I will say when it is warmer my ducks do not go into the coop at night. They were raised from when I first got them in the coop but when it's warm they just refuse to go in.

 

[cosbackyard]

There may be another way.
I use poultry nipples to provide them water inside the coop. Very little mess that way, and they seem to take to them naturally. I should mention that these shouldn't be used if you have food in there at night since they can't wash their bills using them.

Below you can see two water bottles with poultry nipples. One up high for the chickens and one down low for the ducks:

 

[BarredRockGirls]

thank you so much for your replies . my coop has a wood floor and sand as bedding . they will only be in it for sleep time and free range during the day . maybe i will do the nipple waterer thing just in case we are running late unlocking the coop to let them out ... i was planning on having their feeders and waterers outside - the ducks also will have their pool of course outside during the day .