Food/water inside or out?

[Lulu-vt]

I know everyone has their opinions but I’m looking for reasoning to have the food and water inside or outside.

My setup: I’m in Vermont. It’s about to get cold but not quite yet. I have a coop with an auto door set for sunrise and sunset. I have an enclosed run that they mostly hang out in during the day.

Currently my water is outside. I have a 5 gallon bucket with 4 horizontal nipples and 2 vertical nipples. I added the vertical because they were struggling with the horizontal ones. But the horizontal ones leak and I can’t seem to stop them. Argh (hence outside)

The food is in a 13 gallon kitchen garbage can with pvc feeders on the side. I’m adapting them because the chickens literally fling the food everywhere!! It’s a mess.

I have a lot of potential predators (all of them) I’m not worried about vermin, it’s never been an issue. I’m not sure if the food is best outside or inside?

When winter comes (and earlier) I’ll have to figure out a way to keep my water from freezing without electricity. I’m certain there’s a way.
So perhaps the water would be best inside to protect from the elements. I’ll have to get that dripping to stop.

Picture of a couple of hens at the feeder while I work inside the coop. I put the dog on guard duty so they don’t jump out. They did. She didn’t care. Ha ha!!

 

[azygous]

In my opinion, the number one factor for where to place food and water is where do the chickens spend most of their waking time? For my chickens, that would be their run, so that's where the food and water are. There is no reason to place food and water in the coop since my chickens only go in there to lay eggs and to sleep.

 

[Lulu-vt]

In my opinion, the number one factor for where to place food and water is where do the chickens spend most of their waking time? For my chickens, that would be their run, so that's where the food and water are. There is no reason to place food and water in the coop since my chickens only go in there to lay eggs and to sleep.

That makes sense. I wonder if they will hang out there more in the winter? This is their first year so I’m unsure.
I built them a lovely coop but they rarely hang out there!! I guess it was more for me.

 

[Penpal]

As for the water, I change it more often in the winter. I put out warm water to stave off the freezing but that is all. You can put something that floats and will break up the ice as it's starting to freeze, but that is about all. Most animals will drink quite a bit of water so they don't need to have water available at all times. If you put out water in the morning, then when you get home from work, or sometime that fits with your schedule, they should be getting enough water. They don't need as much water in the winter as they do in the summer. They will eat snow, but it's not as efficient since ten inches of snow equals one inch of water.

 

[aart]

I like having feed and water in the coop.
But my coop is part of a large shed so it's convenient for storage of feed and protection of power source for winter water heater.
It's also much nicer for me to be under cover whilst choring.
My run is mostly uncovered so they spend the nasty days in the coop.
There have been times when days go by without them going into the run, another reason I keep flock population low to avoid crowding.

Installation of horizontal nipples can be tricky to keep them from leaking at the threads. I've always used rather thin walled vessels for HN's, which I believe work better for thread seal. Vertical nipples are more likely to leak due to the valve design and don't work well in a heated vessel.