Do chicks need food overnight? With mother hen

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Just wondering if I need to leave the food and water with the mother hen and her chicks overnight? I usually pack away the food at bedtime so I don't attract any rats etc. Do the chicks eat overnight in the dark? They are due to hatch tomorrow. If I do need to leave food and water overnight, what age can I start taking it away overnight?
Thanks in advance for advice!

 

[SulkyBantam]

You don't need to leave it tonight, even if they hatch they don't need to eat for 24-50 hrs.
They will just sleep at night in future as well.
It should fine to take it away!

 

[BDutch]

Good question. I suppose they don’t eat and drink when its dark. Do you have a brooder and a chick setup?

I you have rats where you feed the chicks , they can kill the chicks too.
Please keep them in a safe place where no predators like rats, cat’s and many more predators can get hold of you're baby chicks.

I learned the hard way and lost 2 , 6 week old chicks to a rat the first I hatched and I even had a broody to protect them.

The first day the chicks won’t eat. But 50 hours is too long imo. They do eat after about 24 hours. I always give water and feed available from the start. If you use a bowl, best put some marbles or round pebble stones in to avoid drowning.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Good question. I suppose they don’t eat and drink when its dark. Do you have a brooder and a chick setup?

I you have rats where you feed the chicks , they can kill the chicks too.
Please keep them in a safe place where no predators like rats, cat’s and many more predators can get hold of you're baby chicks.

I learned the hard way and lost 2 , 6 week old chicks to a rat the first I hatched and I even had a broody to protect them.

The first day the chicks won’t eat. But 50 hours is too long imo. They do eat after about 24 hours. I always give water and feed available from the start. If you use a bowl, best put some marbles or round pebble stones in to avoid drowning.

I have mumma hen with her eggs (possible pipping!) in her own coop within the main coop. I don't have rats around now but pack away food at night so I don't attract them. I have tried to make it predator proof but mice /rats can get in very tiny spaces! I haven't lost any chickens to predators yet. So sad about your chickies, even with mumma hen right with them the rat still got to them! And at 6wks old wow that must've been a big rat!
I use a bell chick waterer, although mumma hen has to twist her neck to get to it. Then move to larger ones as they grow. I will keep the water in the coop overnight, just take the feed away.

 

[Aapomp831]

I only leave food and water out if you’re brooding chicks in a brooder and there is a heat lamp. Otherwise, chicks being raised by a broody will sleep under her all night in the dark. Chickens can’t see in the dark; they don’t eat or drink overnight.

 

[BDutch]

Glad to hear you have no rats now. They often come over fences or underneath fences. My run had partly strong netting against birds of prey but the rats was chewing until he got through and then got through a pop door to the coop during the day.

The chicks where all over the run and coop whee when they were 6 weeks old. We had very nice weather around that time. So the momma didn’t have to keep the chicks warm anymore. Maybe she didn't see it coming. ?

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Glad to hear you have no rats now. They often come over fences or underneath fences. My run had partly strong netting against birds of prey but the rats was chewing until he got through and then got through a pop door to the coop during the day.

The chicks where all over the run and coop whee when they were 6 weeks old. We had very nice weather around that time. So the momma didn’t have to keep the chicks warm anymore. Maybe she didn't see it coming. ?

Oh wow during the day! Ratty must've been hungry!
I have a roo and cockerel on guard so hopefully they would warn and protect mumma and chicks. Usually one is in the covered run while other one is out ranging with the others. .. The mother hen on eggs now is one that does not let chicks go far from her side till they about 4 months old and very vicious if anyone or thing attempts to come close to her babies.. Except me.

 

[Folly's place]

Chicks and adults eat when it's light, first thing. So having food available at daylight is important. AND it's necessary to have a rat proof night time coop, at least!!! Rats do kill chickens at night, and if a rat can get in, so can weasels, who will kill everyone at once!
Mary