do or dont

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xxxmistybluexxx

xxxmistybluexxx

Hatching
7 Years
Jul 3, 2012
2
0
7
hi all, wondering if someone can help me, this is the first time keeping chickens, when you lock the chickens up for the night do you put water and food in the coop for the night or do i wait till the morning when they are out in the run to feed them,
 
No, they do not need food or water at night as long as not locked away too early or let out too late.. Food in their night box would just attract vermin.You'll love owning chickens!
 
:frow Welcome to the forum! :frow Glad you joined us! :frow


You can do it either way. They are not going to eat at night unless you keep lights on so they can see, so that is not a concern. If you leave them locked in there for hours after they wake up, then feed and especially water in the coop is a good idea. But if you let them out at a reasonable time in the morning, either way works fine.

There are many different reasons to feed in the coop or to feed in the run. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. I keep feed and water in both. I have a mixed age flock most of the time so I keep several different feeders and waterers set up.

If you feed in the coop, they are going to spend more time in the coop so your poop load in the coop will go up some. It can attract rodents. Depending on your coop and your waterer, you might spill water and get the floor wet. If you feed and water in the run only, you can't sleep in and leave them locked up. You are likely to attract a lot of birds that will eat a lot of the feed so your costs go up. Water may stay cooler in the coop in the summer but it may stay unfrozen in the coop in winter. I'm sure I'm missing several reasons one way or the other.

You'll find we don't all do much of anything the same way. We keep them in too many different conditions and situations for all of us to do much of anything the same. Lots of different things work.

Good luck and once again, :frow
 
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Sorry, I was presuming you meant an actual sleeping box inside the coop. Due to snakes, I have to close mine into an actual sleeping area so I do not put food in there
 
Hello and welcome to BYC
frow.gif
I don't put food and water in the coop, as I close them up late and open them early.
 
I leave food and water in the hen house at all times but, chickens cannot see very well in the dark so they will not go near it. It doesn't matter either way. If you do leave the food and water out you can be more prone to having mice, rats, etc come for a nightly visit. I have three cats who patrol the farm at all times and I don't worry about mice, etc.

 
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