chicken feeder in coop or run

[rocketdoctor]

I have your standard chicken feeder hanging in my run. However my run is not very rain proof so when it rains the feed gets wet and of course the feeder doesn't work well after that until I clean it. I put the feeder back in the coop which the chickens can go in at anytime to get water and lay eggs as well. Should I put a feeder in the run as well any suggestions for a rain proof feeder?

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

I make my 12 survive with one feeder. We keep it full where its dry in the coop (no thieving songbirds either!) and they spend most of their time foraging. Its cheaper and healthier for all of us. The only time we have problems is when we run out of food in the feeder, even if its only for half an hour. The first five minutes the feeder is full (nevermind that there is an INCH of food littering the ground under it!) we have chaos.

As far as waterproofing your feeder, I would suggest instead putting a roof over part of your run. I built a 'porch' for my rooster pen and the feeder for them is outside with a 3' square of roof over it. It is walled on 2 sides (one is the coop and the other wall is just for shade) so the rain never gets in.

 

[chuckzoo]

I have seen covers for feeders on some of the websites, sorry I can't remember which ones but if you do a search I am sure you will find one. Whether it makes it rain-proof I don't know but it may be worth looking into.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

For my silkies in the dog kennel, I put a dog igloo (dog house) over their feeder. The other useful thing about this is that they can stand out of the wind some. I removed the plastic bottom so I never have to clean it.

Also, depending on how fancy you want to not get

, I use a canvas tarp draped over a sawhorse with the ends bungee corded onto fencing and ground stakes (or fence u-posts) to hold them out like wings, then hang the feeder with wire from the sawhorse.

I have other shelters for feed too, using a tarp draped over the overhead chicken wire, and a plastic roofing shelter built with firring strips.

 

[oldchickenlady]

I have a pvc pipe hoop style run and I keep a tarp over the top in summer for shade and extend the tarp down to the ground in winter for wind/cold protection. My feeder hangs outside in the covered run. I did put a couple of ceramic tiles across the top of the feeder in the summer, before I had the sides covered, to protect from blowing rain but that isn't necessary now. I keep a head of cabbage hanging in the coop and also throw down BOSS inside sometimes.