What is the best watering system that will not leak in my coop?

[The Gate Keeper]

Any pics or suggestions please...

 

[chattycathy4444]

I'd be curious too. This is my first winter in Ohio and I currentlyjust use small plastic waterers that I refill about every three days. I'm reading that the metal waterers that sit on the heaters tend to rust out pretty quickly, but most of the plastic have to be turned upside down to refill (tough on a cold winter day). I saw a "thermo" waterer on line by Bed, Bath and Beyond. So overwhelming!!!

 

[Leigti]

I have been told that chickens do not drink at night. So in the winter I put a bowl out for them during the day then bring it in at night. Worked well most of the time Another method I heard about and will try is to get one of those black rubber-ish type bowls from the feed store , Put it in the sun, and put some ping-pong balls in the water. The sun will heated up, and the wind will blow the ping-pong balls around and both of these things should help the water keep from freezing during the day.

 

[Pork Pie]

I do not put any feed or water in the coop. As soon as the birds roost, they will neither come down to feed nor drink as it is dark. Makes for a cleaner coop for sure!

 

[Leigti]

Is it true that they say not to put water in the coop itself because it increases the humidity which is not good especially in winter? I have one water bowl in the run and two outs in the yard but none in the coop.

 

[lazy gardener]

"they say" a lot of stuff. It's your job to sift through and figure out what works for you and what doesn't. The winter temp can go below 0*F and stay there for days on end where I live. So, if I did what "they say" I'd most likely have some dead or very sick birds on my hand. Use reasonable precaution: if your coop is super tiny, you'd have a problem. You'll also want to get that water raised up to shoulder level so they can't kick litter into it, be sure it can't leak or get dumped. Good ventilation is key. They'll exhale more moisture than will ever evaporate from a waterer.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

I still don't know how I'm going to handle the water this winter. Right now there is a galvanized waterer in the run and a plastic waterer in the coop. There is electric inside so I thought about bringing the galvanized waterer in (on a warmer) and not using the plastic one. But, I'm worried that IF the waterer would get knocked over that mess would freeze and hard to clean up.

If I run an extension cord out through the pop door and put the waterer outside, the door won't drop all the way.

Thoughts????

 

[Pork Pie]

drill a hole through the pop door?

 

[sweetsmalleys]

I was wondering the same thing on the night water. mine go in at night and roost and they are let out by 8 am every morning. But I have two ducks in there with them. Do they need water at night? I can't keep any water clean in the coop. It gets full of shavings and such. I had an automatic waterer but disconnected it because they would fill it with shavings and it would overflow.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Drill a hole low on coop side so after cord is brought through the bedding covers it. If your hole is large then you should cover with some harde wire cloth.

The best way to keep water spills out of the coop is to not put it in there at all. Birds do prefer to be outside unless extreme conditions. Those few -30F mornings I toss sunflower seeds in the coop to hold the birds over until it warms up to -10F. I'm in climate zone 3a and can count those mornings on one hand. No animal is moving on those mornings and usually neither is your car.

Using tarps to wrap the run corner and most of two walls that is prevailing wind side will make the outdoors more enjoyable for the chickens than the coop. Same temp and if no breeze then it's the same as being in the coop only they have sun and things to look at. If the run gets icy they enjoy a thin layer of hay to walk on. Carry the water to run each morning and plug in. Most heaters can't keep ice out of water in sub zero night temps so, less power consumption and starting with warm water each morning by bringing it into the garage or house each night works the best.