Another "Where to put your feeder & waterer"

[OnTheWing]

Sorry to be redundant - there was no clear answer. I'm new to chicken-keeping. I have a 4'x4'x8' coop with 8 birds. They are about 3mos old. I had been putting their waterer inside the coop at night, but they are making a huge mess in their bedding and I'm having to clean it all out and start over nearly every day. It's one of those gravity style waterers. Will they be okay especially during the summer mos if I leave their waterer in the run overnight? Don't want them to get de-hydrated... Thanks for your help!

 

[chicmom]

Do you light your coop? The reason I ask is because, if it's dark in there, they will just sleep, and they don't need their water inside the coop. I keep mine out in the run, but food is inside.

The reason I keep the food inside is because if they spill it in the run, eventually it gets wet somehow, even though my run is covered, and then it stinks to high heaven! Totally gross.

Water is always outside, for the exact reason you mentioned.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It depends on you. If you let them out when they wake up, they'll do fine with the water outside. If you leave them locked in the coop for hours after they wake up, they need water inside.

 

[OnTheWing]

Thanks you guys - no I let them out first thing in the morning and they put themselves to bed at night. I think I'll leave the water outside! They haven't really started roosting yet, just huddling up in a corner. It's not cold here at all, I guess they just do that.

I closed the coop door one day to keep them from hanging out in there and pooping everywhere. They have a nice run and a place to get up under the coop about 2 ft high. That night, they huddled under the coop since the door was shut when they got ready to go to bed and I had to scoop them out with a broom and catch them one by one. Guess I should have opened the door late in the evening instead of after dark!

They are still on chick starter - when should I switch them over to a different feed? We're just raising egg chickens.

Thanks for such a nice website! I'm gonna love it here!

 

[OnTheWing]

No, there is no light in the coop. So maybe they woke up before I did! I let them out first thing in the morning around 7, but it starts getting light at 6:30. Guess I should get up earlier!

 

[WI FarmChick]

Do you have the water elevated to the height of their back's?

This helped me. They will still get the water dirty but not as fast. If their beaks are dirty then take a drink the water gets dirty. But I don't get as much litter in the water as before.

I am thinking of having 1 inside coop and 1 outside in the run.... just for the summer months.

 

[Presidential]

Have you thought of trying the "Chicken Nipples"? I have water in my coop, but never have a spill or dirty water. We feed & water in the coop - no mess, no smell, clean... I am a beginner, but this works for me!

 

[OnTheWing]

THank you for that suggestion on the chicken nipples. I'll have to check that out. I have their feeder suspended up higher but not the waterer. Just bought one of those that sits on the floor. Guess I should have spent the extra $$ to get one I can suspend!

 

[WI FarmChick]

THank you for that suggestion on the chicken nipples. I'll have to check that out. I have their feeder suspended up higher but not the waterer. Just bought one of those that sits on the floor. Guess I should have spent the extra $$ to get one I can suspend!

You can just put it up on some bricks or something.