Watering when free ranging...

[toritori]

We have been opening up our pen and letting the chickens free range a bit. They love it especially now that the ferns have come in. They love to lay under the ferns and search around through leaves. Should I be worried about them getting enough water. The waterer is back in the coop and we're getting a second waterer for the pen, but is that enough? The weather has been mild, but it is going to get much warmer soon.

 

[peepmommy]

They won't starve themselves of water. Birds are birds and they do have instincts. Even if they don't go back into the coop, they will find water elsewhere. We have a lot of springs and creeks on the property, so my hens never go back into the coop (makes cleaning easier).

 

[breakout]

We have been opening up our pen and letting the chickens free range a bit. They love it especially now that the ferns have come in. They love to lay under the ferns and search around through leaves. Should I be worried about them getting enough water. The waterer is back in the coop and we're getting a second waterer for the pen, but is that enough? The weather has been mild, but it is going to get much warmer soon.

If your chickens are sometimes ranging near your house there are some temperature and maintainance advantages to having the water come from inside the house see https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/672358/my-chicken-watering-solution