Feed and Water in Coop Why?

[jacobcbass]

First Post here. New Father of 10 chicks. I'm building a coop with an attached run that my birds will be able to access as they please. I'm just wondering if it is neccesary to have food and water inside the coop. I live in NC and my run is covered and will have buried wire around the outside. I just thought that food and water inside the coop will lead to making it wet and smell sooner and needing more frequent cleanings. It just seem that having all the food and water in the run would make for a nicer, cleaner coop. I understand having it inside in cold climates where your bird are kept inside the coop the entire day, but that's not the case here. What do you all do and why? Thanks for the wonderful site, it is so full of wonderful info and wonderful people.

 

[bobbi-j]

I live in MN and have food and water in the coop. It wouldn't be necessary in the summer, but when they're free ranging I want them to go back there to eat feed and drink. I don't have problems with a wet floor. The waterer is up on cement blocks.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

First of all

There are many varying opinions on this. I prefer my food and water under the covered part of the runs for the reasons you mentioned. The only time I put the feed/water in the coop is if we have severe weather (hurricane/ice/snow). Plus if there is no feed in the coop, there are less chances of having rodents in there. When the birds go into the coop at dusk they are going to be roosting and will not be eating or drinking in the dark. I let them out between 6:00 and 6:30 every morning. To me this also has two other advantages (1) The birds have a reason to come out of the coop...(2) It gets my lazy rear out of the bed in the mornings...lol. If you decide to do it this way, just remember when they wake up, they will be hungry and thirsty.

 

[tigerkitten45]

You could also try and hang your feeders and elevating the waterer(or hang). I find since elevating the waterer up to chest height i don't have the poop and shavings in the water, same with the feeders.