Water

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Agree with daytime watering in the coop. Monitor for any condensation and if you’re seeing any, crack a door or window.

And I use the “stomp down the snow and throw down some shavings/hay/straw” trick to get them to come out in the snow.

 

[Sally PB]

I have food in the coop during the day, but water is only out in the run, where I have electricity. The run is covered, but some snow can blow in. It's about 2" deep in one corner, and from a dusting to a half inch other places. Last week when it first got so darn cold, I put a dish of snow in the coop. They ate a bunch. They ate some the next day. About the third day, it was untouched.

Snack time is mid-afternoon, and that is only out in the run. They come out for that, regardless of the weather. They didn't run to the waterer to tank up, so I'm pretty sure they're coming out when they get thirsty enough.

 

[K0k0shka]

Get a closed, heated nipple waterer. It won't freeze, and it won't evaporate to add moisture to the coop, and they'll have water inside.

 

[Sally PB]

Ok, now I really have to get my dumb cockerel to be able to drink out of horizontal nipples so I can get one of those. If I see one of those at TSC, I'll get it for next winter.