( Winter ) Water in the coop

[Chicken girl 15]

My coop is rather large. It's a barn, but I keep my water and feed in the coop. We get a lot of below 20° weather which the birds just ignore and act like it's sunny and 75°. However when it snows the birds refuse to leave the coop. All but one that is. His name is General and he's a mille de flure DeUlce. He's about 7 inches tall from ground up to the tip of his comb.

 

[Beekissed]

This is my first winter with chickens, well first time with chickens period.
I have my heated water container inside the coop all the time. the feed is inside also,

I would like to know if that is good or bad for the chickens, I have the container up on blocks. and plenty of 24/7 ventilation

where do you have your water container?

Mine is always in the coop and so is my feed, which is always wet and I always have composting DL under my roosts, which also emits humidity. As long as you have great ventilation, fresh intake below, stale output above that actually moves the air out of the coop, it shouldn't be a problem. Good ventilation will also help you prevent frostbite issues.

 

[junkman56]

Mine is always in the coop and so is my feed, which is always wet and I always have composting DL under my roosts, which also emits humidity. As long as you have great ventilation, fresh intake below, stale output above that actually moves the air out of the coop, it shouldn't be a problem. Good ventilation will also help you prevent frostbite issues.

I do have a fresh air vent under the nesting boxes ( floor level ) and I have top vents which are in the front and the rear of the coop under the overhangs, I also have about 6 " of leaves, pine needles and pine shavings on the floor of the coop, my coop is raised about 2' off the ground.
I have plastic stapled under the coop so the wind does not blow through. and straw bales under the coop. under the roost I have a hammock to catch the poop. I clean it off every morning, and I fluff up the bedding every morning. and I check their water and feed. I also have windows which are under the tarps at the front of the coop that I could open for more ventilation if needed, one is near the roost so I would leave that one closed.

 

[Beekissed]

I do have a fresh air vent under the nesting boxes ( floor level ) and I have top vents which are in the front and the rear of the coop under the overhangs, I also have about 6 " of leaves, pine needles and pine shavings on the floor of the coop, my coop is raised about 2' off the ground.
I have plastic stapled under the coop so the wind does not blow through. and straw bales under the coop. under the roost I have a hammock to catch the poop. I clean it off every morning, and I fluff up the bedding every morning. and I check their water and feed. I also have windows which are under the tarps at the front of the coop that I could open for more ventilation if needed, one is near the roost so I would leave that one closed.

I LOVE your coop....one of the better coops I've seen on this forum, BTW. Your ventilation is great and it seems you wouldn't have excess moisture in your coop with all that venting.

 

[junkman56]

I LOVE your coop....one of the better coops I've seen on this forum, BTW. Your ventilation is great and it seems you wouldn't have excess moisture in your coop with all that venting.

thank you

 

[Leigti]

My water and food is kept outside in their run.  The reason is that a waterer inside the coop will contribute even more moisture that needs to be vented out to keep the chickens warm.  I also like to encourage the chickens to be outside during the winter.  I have a tarp over the top of the run so there is no snow in there and 3 sides covered in clear vinyl.  The chickens are outside in the run all day.  I toss hay in there regularly and every other day they get a treat such as whole corn or black sunflower seeds.  They stay busy scratching for their treats which helps with winter boredom. 

Where did you get the clear vinyl?

 

[Beekissed]

I get my clear tarps online and they are a great bargain....don't know why I didn't know about them years ago but my winter coop life has changed drastically since discovering them. These things are heavy duty, with fibers woven between the layers of vinyl...I can't find any tarps, no matter the color, around these parts that are as heavy duty as these.

http://www.canopiesandtarps.com/clear-tarp-14x16.html

 

[junkman56]

I get  my clear tarps online and they are a great bargain....don't know why I didn't know about them years ago but my winter coop life has changed drastically since discovering them.  These things are heavy duty, with fibers woven between the layers of vinyl...I can't find any tarps, no matter the color, around these parts that are as heavy duty as these. 

http://www.canopiesandtarps.com/clear-tarp-14x16.html

I have those same tarps on my coop. They are heavy duty. And they were inexpensive , the place i got mine from is out of Yuma Az. (Greenhousetarps )

 

[wamtazlady]

Where did you get the clear vinyl?

Walmart. Clear shower curtains. Under $5 each.

 

[Leigti]

I am interested in your fresh air vent under the nest boxes. Would an open pop door below and then vents up high do the same thing?