Feed inside or outside or both?

[Nanny Linn]

Hello,
We are brand new to the urban chicken scene and are wondering about placement of the feed. In the viewing of hundreds of pictures and reading many books, I haven't figured out if chickens need their food both inside the coop and outside in the run. I'd prefer to just have it inside (rainy climate) and leave the door open for them to graze during the day. Thanks

 

[southerndesert]

We feed in the run and pen only (water as well) helps keep pests out of the coop with our setup....

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

We keep the food and water in the coop - our chickens have free range in the pasture all day, but we want to encourage them to return to the coop to lay their eggs - so we keep the feed and water in the coop. Also, they are closed into the coop each night, so they always have access to food and water by keeping it in the coop.

 

[jhook1997]

Quote:
Same here except ours are in a fenced run during the day.

 

[Nanny Linn]

Thank you, glad to know I was on the right track.

 

[Kitty Cat]

I keep my feed in one spot. I feed out in the run but our run is covered. If you want it inside then just keep it in. You'll be wasting feed if you leave it out and it gets wet and moldy.

 

[Amethyste]

We keep our feed and water inside the coop. I believe it reinforces that this is HOME, and makes them want to go inside more willingly in the evening. I do however, on the rare days we have high heat <a few years back we actually hit 107 F here!!!!> put an additional waterer in the run for them. Food in the run makes it more likely in my own opinion for rodents and wild birds etc to come visiting when they shouldn't.

Not to mention, this is a rainy climate we live in here in Washington, and food left outside is much more likely to go bad, wasted, or ruined if left in the run. In our run, the rule is: Treats are outside, feed and water inside. If the weather is bad enough to make them stay inside...then they will have treats inside as well. But normally, that's how we do it.

 

[Jeffross1968]

I have water in one of the laying boxes (having 2 of the laying boxes for laying is more than enough for 10 birds), and no food in the coop. I get up pretty early, typically before any of them are down off the roost, and let them into the coop where there is more water and 2 feeders. I feel it keeps the coop much cleaner and lets them focus on spending time in the run and free ranging during the day. By the time they head into the coop at night, they're ready to sleep and done eating.

 

[fr27davis]

i keep the food and water in the run, but the run is open during the day so that they free range, having no problems with them coming back to the pen every night.

 

[donna9197]

Since I feed mine once each day, I put the food in the run (when it's not raining) in the mornings when the girls are let out of their coop. In the evenings, when I close them up, I put what's left of the food in the coop. My thinking is that less food in the coop means less poop in the coop!