Feed a water

[csaylorchickens]

I have the chick feeder still with the mason jar and holes as well as a hanging feeder that is normally used for rabbits but works for the chicken feed. I also have a hanging waterer and the mason jar water holder. I have the run under the coop and I can open the run and have a small place marked off so the girls can range from time to time. I was wondering, at night, they go up into the coop by themselves. But the hole is still open to get from coop to the tiny run. I have been normally putting a board over the hole and putting a small amount of feed and water in the coop just incase I cant get to the coop early enough for their breakfast. Last night I left everything out an left the hole open for them to go down into the run when they are ready.
What is best? I removed the food and water to keep pests away and I covered the hole as a last defense for them incase a predator gets into the run. But do I need to cover the hole? Is it ok To leave food and water in the bottom run, it is predator proof too. I jut need to dig down with hardware cloth incase a predator digs. My neighbors have chickens and haven't had any problems with digging predators just raccoons trying to get into the neasting boxes ( their daughter left the nesting box open one night and a raccoon got ln the coop and tore up one of the chickens :/) but I have a latch on the nesting box . What is best? It's kinda a pain to close the hole up and I like the fact that they can go down into the run when they wake up.

 

[3riverschick]

When it is warm weather, I usually leave the pop hole open so the birds can go out in the morning. It is kinda a crap shoot which you want to do. That said, I used to fort them up at night with the door closed. Came out one morning to find a varmint had ripped the chicken wire and got into the run. But not the coop because it was closed. Set a trap and 10 days later caught a young opossum making the rounds. After that I always forted them up and closed them in at night. But this year, not so much. The doors to the runs are open again. It's just your choice. Any way to make that door easier to close?
Best,
Karen

 

[tsmith91]

I used to close the door from coop to run every night but lately I've been leaving it open have never seen a predator but there's always a first time if your run is predator proof it's probably safe to leave the door open

 

[csaylorchickens]

Yea I'll leave it open but probably take the food and water in just In case if attracts predators or pests