Water: In the coop vs in the run

[sklr112]

I've always wondered what people did about this. At first I kept it in the coop, but if it becomes not level it will spill. It can also get dirty in there, so i keep mine in the run. It gets dirty there too, though. You never can win.

 

[jomoncon]

I keep a small nipple waterer hanging in the coop. Since there's a lid on it, it stays relatively clean, although I do change the water every 2 days or so. With it hanging, there's less chance of it spilling. They do drink a lot of it - I can tell since the water level goes down & I often see & hear them using it.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

After about 6-8 weeks old, it's food and water in the run only, with the food being removed at night to avoid rodents.

I had fuzzy mold under my waterers, and spilled feed that was getting wet when I had them in the coops.

I do let them out of their coops when it is light enough to avoid owls though.

 

[averytds]

Spring, Summer and Fall I used to keep it all outside and both inside and out in the Winter. I put in a hanging feeder and cup/bucket system for this Winter and like it so much I will likely just keep food and water both inside and out throughout the year now.

 

[Mak]

I keep water inside the coop year round. I have a metal waterer in there on a heater up on concrete blocks. That keeps it unfrozen and high enough up so that it does not get litter and such kicked into it. In summer, I add a plastic waterer outside in the coop along with the one in the coop. Well, I should say all the time it is not cold enough to freeze the water. But especially in summer, as I find mine would go thru more water in hot weather. Which makes sense. In winter, they often don't stay outside for long, especially when there is snow on the ground, so they need water in the coop. I keep it in a corner and haven't had it knocked over or spilled yet.

 

[ShenValleyChick]

Thanks for all the great replies! My original plan was to have a hanging bell-like feeder and waterer system inside as well as a hanging waterer out in the run for as long as I could without it freezing. I will probably just stick to that plan. I was concerned about taking up space in the coop as well as moisture levels. Our coop is the quaker style 5x6 with 6 nest boxes in the front under the windows and roosts along the back wall. The only place I could hang the feeder and waterer would be right in the middle. I was a little scared of the mess this could create, but hopefully with the hanging system I shouldn't have too much of a problem! (but still open to any other ideas

)

 

[chick-in-florida]

We keep water in the coop and also in the run. Raising it up is the trick, in both cases. Keeps it clean from dirt and poop. The one in the coop is very large and heavy so not likely to tip over. We put a plastic cone on top when they started to perch on it and that solved that problem. You can also hang them from the ceiling too, I've seen that. Water is important to always have available. Down here in Florida we worry more about that I guess.

 

[Bearing1]

I keep an automatic waterer and a 3.5 gallon waterer outside and on the inside I have a hanging nipple waterer that stays quite clean and no water on the floor.
I do the same with feeders one outside and one inside so they can dine in or out as they please.

 

[nuchickontheblock]

Because it is freezing here in Maine for most of the winter and my girls usually stay in the coop and covered pen when there is snow cover(they don't like the snow in the run), we have a heavy metal waterer on a heated base which is up on a cement block in the coop. It is in a corner and we don't have any spills except when I spill it myself sometimes when the water is changed weekly LOL. I do place warm water in a plastic container in the run in the morning with a bowl of "special" breakfast (layer pellets with something additional like tuna, applesauce, leftover whatever), but have a feeder with layer pellets available in the coop all the time.
Works for us. especially when it's a day like today with a snow storm and I don't want to go out to the girls as yet. I know they have sufficient water and food. If there will be snow in the run for a while, I put their breakfast in the covered enclosed pen that stays snow free.

 

[claud]

I've always kept the waterer outside. They have access to the outside run all the time.
Things have been frozen here since about the middle of December - I use a heated horse water bucket. Today we got about five inches of snow and when I checked on them they were all in the coop but I saw little chicken footprints leading to the waterer and back to the coop so I know they are drinking even in inclement weather.