Do I need to supply water at night?

[chango]

New chicken guy here. I have a small, insulated coop inside a large fenced-in pen. The girls (now about 15 weeks) spend all day frolicking outside in the pen and spend all night sleeping in the coop. I have food and water both inside the coop and outside in the pen. Best I can tell, they NEVER touch the food nor the water inside the coop.

I'm making plans for their first winter - nights always below 32F, sometimes in the single digits, rarely below 0. It would simplify things for me if don't have to worry about water inside the coop and just take measures to ensure the outside water doesn't freeze.

Can I assume they will continue to abstain from drinking water at night? I'd sure like to remove the inside waterer. What about food at night - not as big an issue, but it would be nice to know what others are doing. As my girls mature and/or as the weather gets colder, will their need for food or water at night increase? Many thanks.

 

[KayTee]

Chickens don't need food or water at night - once it goes dark and they go to sleep they stay that way until daybreak. If your birds are literally going into the coop to sleep at night and are coming out of it first thing in the morning when they wake up then you are right to think that they are probably not touching it at all. The only time they are likely to eat or drink in the coop is in the morning if they are awake for a long time before they can get out into the pen.

If you are worried about water freezing in the coop in the winter then you can stop putting it in there. As long as they have access to fresh water outside during daylight hours they will be fine.

 

[chango]

Chickens don't need food or water at night - once it goes dark and they go to sleep they stay that way until daybreak. If your birds are literally going into the coop to sleep at night and are coming out of it first thing in the morning when they wake up then you are right to think that they are probably not touching it at all. The only time they are likely to eat or drink in the coop is in the morning if they are awake for a long time before they can get out into the pen.

If you are worried about water freezing in the coop in the winter then you can stop putting it in there. As long as they have access to fresh water outside during daylight hours they will be fine.

Thank you, KayTee, for the very helpful response, which was exactly what I was hoping for. The coop has an automated door on a photocell which opens at first light, so the girls have access to food and water as soon as they wake up. My main fear was that the increased food intake during cold weather would manifest in midnight snacking.

Thanks, again.

 

[DanEP]

Nope they don't eat or drink in the dark. Outside will be fine as long as your girls will go out in the snow to eat and drink I keep their food and water in the coop for the winter because that's where I have power for the bird bath heater I use to keep the water from freezing. But if you have power outside or giving them fresh water a couple of times a day outside will be fine. I only give them one source for the winter and it works fine, they will adjust to wherever you put it.

 

[RonP]

Is your pen covered for inclement weather?

If you get snow, the birds may not leave the coop...

 

[chango]

Is your pen covered for inclement weather?

If you get snow, the birds may not leave the coop...

High-desert climate here (7000' feet above sea level). Some snow, but it melts/sublimates quickly from strong sun. All of the pen could be covered to keep snow out, but for now I'm planning just to cover area over the coop, waterer and feeder.