Food and water during winter in extreme cold....

[Faberbutt]

This will be our first winter with chickens. We live in a place where the winters can, and often are, brutal. It rarely gets warmer than -20 and we have periods where -30 to -50 are common, in addition to a lot of snow and high winds. We are in the final stages of winterizing the coop/run but...


The one thing that we can't decide on is the food and water. Pretty much everything that I've read says to keep the food and water out of the coop but given how bad winters are here, I'm not sure if keeping them in the run is the best idea.

So, what do you guys think? Should I put them in the run or in the coop or a combination of both? We have a large 15 gallon drum for water and 5 gallon buckets for food/extra water, so we have options if we need to have them in both areas. If both, would you use the 5 gallon buckets in the coop or the 15 gallon drum?

 

[Debbie292d]

If the water is open, I'd keep it out in the run. We use a 5-gallon nipple bucket in the coop for that reason of not wanting any open water in the coop. In the winter, that's especially important.

It gets nearly that cold here, too, although the coldest is usually for a couple of weeks, and the daily temp averages probably zero. We have a 300-watt oil-filled radiant heater that manages to keep our coop to about 40F all winter long. Our coop is insulated and sheetrocked too so that helps.

 

[Yardmom]

If your run gets snow in it, you may have chickens who refuse to walk in it. Personally I keep food and water in the coop.
Where I live currently, open water in rubber containers work well. I break or dump ice twice a day, but that may not work in your conditions where waters will freeze faster.

 

[Faberbutt]

So, the drum and buckets have those little cups that fill with water but they're otherwise covered. I plan on getting submersible water heaters to keep the water from freezing.

If your run gets snow in it, you may have chickens who refuse to walk in it.

I'd heard about the walking on snow thing before! The run will probably get snow in it, at least to an extent. It's against our garage so the back length of it is protected and we plan on wrapping a good portion of the exposed areas with tarp to block the frigid wind and snow as much as we can. Since it'll be wrapped, we're also adding a daytime light to the side of the garage, inside the run, so that they'll still a good amount of light. It'll still be cold, of course, but we're trying to make it so that they can still use the run as much as possible.

 

[aart]

So, the drum and buckets have those little cups that fill with water but they're otherwise covered. I plan on getting submersible water heaters to keep the water from freezing.

The cups won't stay thawed. Horizontal nipples are the only way to go because they seal inside the vessel.
Even those could freeze up at the temps you state if there'a bit of water on the outer lip.

How many birds do you have?
I've had up to ~20 and only need to carry out a gallon of water daily to top off a 3gal vessel.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-heated-waterer-with-horizontal-nipples.67256/

 

[Faberbutt]

The cups won't stay thawed. Horizontal nipples are the only way to go because they seal inside the vessel.
Even those could freeze up at the temps you state if there'a bit of water on the outer lip.

How many birds do you have?
I've had up to ~20 and only need to carry out a gallon of water daily to top off a 3gal vessel.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-heated-waterer-with-horizontal-nipples.67256/

I added some of the nipples to my amazon cart.

I only have 8 birds. The 15 gallon drum is simply to make it easier during the winter months, especially during extreme cold snaps. There was a period last year where the temp didn't get above -40 for 2-3 weeks, even hit -60 at one point, and during times like that we just figured it would be easier to have a water container that we don't need to add water to for several days if needed.

 

[aart]

There was a period last year where the temp didn't get above -40 for 2-3 weeks, even hit -60 at one point,

Geeezzz!! Not sure I could handle that.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Faberbutt]

Geeezzz!! Not sure I could handle that.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 3964748

I'm in Saskatchewan, Canada. I moved here over a decade ago from a warm state in the US. It's definitely not for me, if I'm being honest, and I'm impatiently waiting for the day that I can move. I'm not really a big fan of having winter conditions for nearly 6 months out of the year.

 

[aart]

I'm in Saskatchewan, Canada.

This might help, unless you are in northern Saskatchewan:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

 

[Ridgerunner]

Pretty much everything that I've read says to keep the food and water out of the coop but given how bad winters are here, I'm not sure if keeping them in the run is the best idea.

Some of us feed and/or water only in the coop. Some of us feed and/or water only in the run. Some of us feed and/or water in both. We each have unique conditions. Your weather sure qualifies as unique. Don't blindly follow what someone in Louisiana or some other warm place says when your circumstances are so much different.

To me your challenge is to see that they have enough water. I don't have the experience with your temperatures to be comfortable giving specific advice. What I do when it gets below zero Fahrenheit probably would not work for you. Good luck on figuring it out.