Watering in the coop

[saysfaa]

The reason I ask is I've heard keeping water in coop is bad for humidity, but hopefully my ventilation is good.?.?

It is one of the things that people say because they heard it somewhere. It is logical but the math proves it is not an issue. Even an open dish waterer evaporates much less moisture than a single bantam hen gives off.

Yes, ventilation is important; whether or not the waterer is in the coop.

 

[StinkyAcres]

The reason I ask is I've heard keeping water in coop is bad for humidity, but hopefully my ventilation is good.?.?

It can be in the winter, especially if you have open water and not a nipple waterer. Humidity is not as much of a problem in the warmer months. I keep a waterer in the coop 24/7, but I do not put heated waterers in the coop. I did it once and the walls and ceiling near the waterer were coated in frost the next morning. So now during the winter I keep a non-heated waterer in the coop that is replaced daily or twice a day and the heated waterer is in the run.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I don’t keep water in the coop, but I have my heated water dish (I’ve had good luck with this brand) in the run. I do keep their food in the coop as it’s raised up and secure at night so no critters get into it or smell it.

 

[BeanieBabies]

I don't like to keep food and water in the coop, not because of humidity, but because it spills onto the wooden floor, encouraging mold. There's not really room in my own coop to do this, especially with the bedding I use, but you could certainly just put a tray under it.

If you're worried that your chickens won't get out to get at least water, I don't think there's any problem with putting a waterer in the coop with a tray under it to catch spills.