My 3 barred rocks are now 8 weeks old, and have been living full time in their coop & run for 2 weeks now. Even though the run is predator proof, I've been locking the girls inside their coop at night. (Don't worry, they had a heater for the first week or so). I have a min-max thermometer, so I know it doesn't get too cold. It's only been 3 or 4 nights now that the girls put themselves to bed, and I come out and close the hatch between the coop & the run. I open it up again around 9am. It took 1.5 weeks for them to figure out this whole business of going into the coop for the night. At first, we thought they didn't like the coop because I only keep water in there, but not any food. So I put in the small 1 qt feeder inside the coop. Now they they've settled into a good routine, do I still need to keep food in there? Or, can they go without food from dusk until morning. If they do need food, I need to come up with something that's not so easily knocked over. Thanks for the advice.
I would think they should be fine now without food. They seem to have the routine down and should just keep following it.
They don't eat at night unless coop is really lighted. They usually fill their crops in the evening so they move food throughout the night. I have a wall mounted large gravity feeder I built so mine doesn't get tipped. I also have large water feeder for them in the coop. But I would say they should be fine without a feeder in the coop as long as they get access first thing in the morning to the run or free range.
I keep feed and water in mine, i found by putting my feeder up a touch they quit knocking it over, of coarse an alternative is a hanging feeder or a wall mount. I personally feel more comfortable with my girls having feed/water in their coop so if i am ever delayed i needn't concern myself that they are awaiting either.
I keep my feeder in the coop because it is rodent resistant I think if I left the food outside it might attract undesirables to the run. Water is outside because I got tired of wet bedding.
