Better to feed in henhouse or in run?

[Caju]

This may be a silly question, but I haven't seen anyone directly address it, so I'm not sure if it's so obvious that nobody needs to talk about it, or whether it's actually a subject that people disagree on.

I am currently building and setting up my coop, and won't get my chooks until I'm done. I plan to have 3-5 hens only. The run is a stucco-wire enclosed square, ten feet by ten feet (by six feet tall for the humans to go in). When I get ahold of some kind of material for it, I will add some solid roof to part of it, for shade and rain-protection.

The house will sit in one corner of the run and be raised up so the chooks can go under it. It is a bit more than 3 and a half feet by 3 feet, plus bump-out nests (16" deep x 36" long, one long community nest, or I might add a divider).

I assume I should have water both in the house and in the run, but what about the feeder? Should there be one in both places? What about all the supplemental stuff, like grit and oyster shells, etc.? Do those go only outside?

I don't know if it makes a difference to the question, but I will be feeding them lots of garden weeds and kitchen scraps (in the run).

Also, I live in a very moderate climate--never very hot or very cold (San Francisco Bay Area).

Thanks for your advice and help!

 

[Mahonri]

I think it's always better to feed in the coop.

Keeps the outside birds where they belong and saves on feed.

 

[Kittymomma]

I feed pellets/crumbles in a hanging feeder in the coop and have the water outside. I don't like the water inside because it's more of a mess and raises the humidity. I suppose if you couldn't let them out at daylight you might need to keep some in there, but I think it's better to have it outside. I keep the oyster shell and grit in the coop too so they don't get wet, it's in bowls on the floor now, but I'm going to mount a couple of rabbit feeders or something similar to the coop wall so they'll stop tipping them over.

Sounds like a nice set up! Be sure to think like a sneaky raccoon while setting stuff up--hardware wire instead of chicken wire, an apron around the run, etc.

The only silly questions are the ones that don't get asked! There are lots of great people on here and most are happy to help--I think we're all enablers at heart and chicken keeping is definately an addiction! Be sure to check out the FAQ page before you bring your babies home, lots of good info there including first aid and medicines to have on hand.

 

[Caju]

I don't expect any outside birds to get into the run, as it's covered. I'm using 18 gauge stucco wire. Although we have raccoons, possums, and the occasional skunk here in my urban neighborhood, all of the people I know with chicken coops have used regular chicken wire. I know everyone on BYC warns against it, but none of the chicken-wire coops in my neighborhood have been breached by predators. I guess there's enough easy-access food in the city that the raccoons don't need to work hard for it. Anyway, I used stucco wire, like someone I know in a different city who also hasn't had any problems with it. I did bury it and have a cement border around the foundation.

So, I kind of thought the chickens would only go in the house to lay and to sleep. If they have access to the run immediately upon waking (dawn?), won't they just go on outside? Kittymomma, when do your girls go in and have their oyster shells? Do you ever see them eating it?

The reason I thought there should be water in the coop is that I read how important it is that they always have access to water. But, it's not like they're getting up in the night to go have a drink, right? Your point about raising the humidity is a good one.

Thanks for any further thoughts, advice!

 

[dave3877]

i have 6' chicken wire on mine too and it works great. only thing i did different with mine is i ran heavy 4' field fence around the perimeter and lined it all with large rocks that i covered in a thick layer if dirt. its like a fortress. now as for feeding i feed mine their ration in the coop in hanging feeders. their scratch and their treats i feed them thopse in the run. being as its sealed i rarely have unwanted critters in there

 

[Kittymomma]

Mine free range on 9 acres (they only use about 3) and go back to the coop to snack and lay. I've seen them eat the oyster shell throughout the day. Some really get into it and others hardly touch it. The layer pellets have calcium in them, but some hens seem to need the extra. If they need it they eat it, if not they don't. The chickens will go in for food too and on really rainy/windy days they may decide to spend even more time in there.

 

[Daisygirl]

I give the girls a layer feed in a suspended feeder in the coop, and then I have a separate container out in the run where I chuck in kitchen scraps from us and the neighbours. The girls also get all the snails that fall out of the trees...which is a lot.

 

[Sissy]

I too keep feed and water in the coop
also keep larger water in the run.

 

[aussieheelr]

I keep feed in a hanging feeder in the coop along with my heated water base and waterer in the coop. Feed snacks and oyster shell in the run. In the summer I move the waterer ouside but due to the COLD here have to have it in the coop where the electricity is.

 

[joedie]

I keep everything in the coop. They have a good size run and free range for about 2 hrs a day. They don't spend all day outside even in perfect weather. They go in and out all day. At any given point there are always a few in the coop just hanging around and of course always some in the nest boxes. It's only a few ft to get in the coop so I don't see any reason to have it in both places IMO. The waterer is raise up on a concrete block and really don't have a problem with spillage.