Do you need to have food and water in the hen house over night?

[Jenn's_ chicks]

Or can they have it outside only? New to the whole thing. I know in the winter they would need water and food in the hen house. But when I am moving my tractor and letting them free range all day do they need to eat at a night?

Thank you

 

[woodmort]

I never put feed outside. It is too expensive to feed to rats, mice and wild birds or spoil in the rain. If my chickens want it, then they will have to come into the coop for it. Same is pretty much true about water, while I have an old dog dish outside that has water in it when it rains, I keep the main waterer inside where I can heat it during the winter. Also, my birds are up before me and often aren't released from the coop until afternoon--that way the eggs are laid where I can find them--so they need access to food during that time.

ETA: My coop is fairly well rat proofed--while there are a few mice that sneak in they have to take their chances with the birds. I'd be more concerned about an outdoor feeder attracting rodents.

 

[vcallaway]

Mine go in the coop at night and to lay. Rest of the time they are out foraging.

I started off with food and water in the coop. They never touched the food. They do drink the water. Mostly in the morning before I let them out.

My routine is to let them out in the morning, go back in the house and make coffee, check email etc... After that I take a cup of coffee outside and toss feed out in the grass. I do something similar in the evenings.

I've left feeders out for them but when they are in the yard they don't seem to have much interest. Just when I toss some in the grass. During the winter things are different.

 

[rosemarythyme]

As long as you can consistently provide water in the morning there's probably no need to have it in the coop overnight, they certainly won't drink in the dark. Possibly the exception would be if you live somewhere with extremely high temperatures and dehydration is a concern, but I don't know how many places are 95+ degrees at 7:00-7:30 in the morning.

 

[as110]

I have water in the coop I put it in at night and move it out in the morning. I had feed in the coop but the hens just pooped inside. Now I don't have food in there. Water is important because I don't always let them out when the rooster calls. It depends on how tired I am when I wake up.

 

[chick watcher]

Food no, water yes. If something happens and you are not there to let them out in the mornings it is very hard on them. If for no other reason think of water in the coop as a safety measure. You should always have some fresh clean water available at all times.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I like to have water at all times in with the chickens and keep the feeder full. It is very important that they don't run out of water, especially in the heat.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Totally agree on the fresh water. It's a must, at all times.

The food, however, will get you differing opinions. It is just easier to do the full feeder, 24-7 thing.
What I do not like, however, is the rodents feeding while the flock is asleep on the roosts. Since I feed my flock at 4 pm what they'll eat up within an hour and again, at 6:30 am, all they want, I see no need to share their high feed bill with the mice. As always, Your Mileage May Vary.

 

[Jenn's_ chicks]

Thank you both.

 

[GreenGables]

If you look at my picture you will see that the hen house is only for roosting at night and laying eggs. I don't put food in the hen house at night. They roost at dusk and awake just before daybreak. I close the door to the hen house after they go to roost for the night, which is around 8pm and I open it up before they get up, which right now is 5:30am.