Do my 6-week-olds need food & water overnight in the coop?

[DragonBearMomma]

I moved my 6 girls to the coop yesterday (their 6-week hatch day), and I did put in their feeder/waterer from the brooder with them when I closed them into the coop/roosting area last night, but I'm wondering if the food is actually necessary? I have a larger feeder/waterer for the run area that they'll have access to all day (plus all the goodies they find foraging in the run), and I bring them both into my house when they get 'put to bed' to deter anything non-chicken from coming around for their food. I'll put them up about an hour before sunset, until they learn to go to bed on their own, and will be letting them out between 6:30 & 7:00 am, until I can afford an auto-door & put it on a sunrise timer. Can they go that long without food at this age? Or should I keep using the baby feeder (the kind that fits on a quart mason jar) for snacking until I let them out in the morning? I do plan on keeping water in there. Thanks for any advice.

 

[citymeetscountry]

The only time I have put feeder/water in the coop was when we had a bad snowstorm and they refused to come out into the run. I think others have different opinions, but I don’t think it’s necessary over night.

 

[nuthatched]

As they're growing, I would keep food and water in with them but that's just me.

 

[berryncherry]

I moved my 6 girls to the coop yesterday (their 6-week hatch day), and I did put in their feeder/waterer from the brooder with them when I closed them into the coop/roosting area last night, but I'm wondering if the food is actually necessary? I have a larger feeder/waterer for the run area that they'll have access to all day (plus all the goodies they find foraging in the run), and I bring them both into my house when they get 'put to bed' to deter anything non-chicken from coming around for their food. I'll put them up about an hour before sunset, until they learn to go to bed on their own, and will be letting them out between 6:30 & 7:00 am, until I can afford an auto-door & put it on a sunrise timer. Can they go that long without food at this age? Or should I keep using the baby feeder (the kind that fits on a quart mason jar) for snacking until I let them out in the morning? I do plan on keeping water in there. Thanks for any advice.

I don't see the need for it; I've had no problems leaving chicks without food or water overnight. Just make sure to give them those resources right when you let them out!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I stop leaving chicks with food and water overnight once they're kicked out of the brooder, which is 4 weeks old.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

I did for my chick's first few nights.
I took away the water.
The food is still there

 

[DragonBearMomma]

So, tonight I did the opposite of Pippin - left the water, didn't leave food. We've essentially skipped spring and gone into midsummer temperature-wise, and hit 92 today, so I figured the cool water would be welcomed. They still have 'leftovers' from last night & their Babycake crumbs (I use it as a reward to try to lure them up the ramp at bedtime, and down the ramp in the morning) for their bedtime snack, but that will be gone tomorrow when I sweep the roosting area out. Then they'll only have Babycake crumbs until I no longer need to put them to bed.

I will still probably do bedtime treats when they get on a routine, but it'll be in the run, not in the coop. My cats do their best to keep the field mouse population down, but we're surrounded by hay/cow fields on 3 sides, so that's pretty much a non-stop job for an almost-17 year old cat and an almost-4 year old, especially when there are also small birds, lizards, grasshoppers and moles to hunt and chase as well. I'm trying to do my part by not enticing too many extras.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[Mrs. K]

They will sleep in the dark, not eat. And they will be just fine. I never have water or feed in my coop.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

My chicks habe been more interested in my broody hen's food bowl than theirs