Where to Put the Heated Waterer?

[fiberart57]

For those of you who have heated waterers: Where do you put it? Inside the hen house or in the run? I've been reading recommendations from some people for a heated dog water bowl. Isn't there a danger that if you put it in the house the chickens will spill it out? Do you put some kind of guard around it?

Or do you put it in the run and just let them go at night without water in the house?

Currently my chickens have a waterer in the run and in the house and the level of the waterer in the house goes down so I know that they're drinking. It gets cold here (Colorado) so I know that I'll need something but I'm worried about an open water bowl in the house.

Thanks, Mary

 

[ghillie]

We have a metal fount on a base heater in the henhouse and a heated plastic water fount in the run. The waterer in the run is protected from the north wind. Worked out great last year.