Feed for Free rangers

[gmachicken]

Our girls are free ranged. They are closed out of the coop as it is the nursery at the moment.
I let them in at night then out in the AM.
My question is: the feed I have for them is in the coop. It didn't seem like they were eating much of it anyway. However, it seems to me that they should have it out where they are. Maybe by the water source.
We are out from town so have the issue of drawing other wonderful creatures we don't want to like Skunks.
I appreciate your help.

 

[Akane]

Do they have an opportunity to eat all they want in the morning and evening or are they put out at first light and in after dark? Light in the coop like heat lamps will also allow them to see enough to get off the roosts and eat all night if they need to. If so then I probably wouldn't worry about it. I might put out a flock block or something. I have one for my free rangers but it's more to attract them to a certain area instead of the neighbors bird feeder. If they don't have access to eat all the poultry feed they want a couple times a day or enough light overnight then I would try to figure out something. A few feeders have been posted here that the chickens had to step on a bar to open the feeder. Some actually move the feeder in and out with the chickens. Others just scatter feed on the ground for them but that's likely to lead to a lot of waste.