Feed & water location???

[echlfan]

We are building our coop now. We want the food & water outside in the run right?

 

[patandchickens]

It depends. If it will always be pretty nice weather (which for you, it will, at least relative to, say, Canada

) and you have no rat problems and if you will never leave the chickens locked in the coop beyond dawn, then outside is a good place. In other situations, sometimes it makes some sense to have one or both in the coop.

Have fun,

Pat

 

[echlfan]

I have never seen rats, but prob eventually mice. Is locking them in the coop mandatory?

 

[patandchickens]

It's not mandatory, but it's a really good idea if you don't want to come out one morning to find a massacre. It is awful hard to make a run as secure as the coop can be, so locking them in the coop gives you a considerable extra layer of security. personal choice, though.

Pat

 

[Blue_Myst]

I'd also say it would depend on your weather and climate. I don't know much about Canadian climate, but I heard that in most places it gets very cold during the winter, in which case you'll definitely want the water and food in the coop. When it's warmer out, you could probably put it in the run, but like patandchickens said, you can never make a run as secure as your coop.

I prefer to keep water and food in the coop, but during the warmer months put another water container out in the run so they have plenty to drink. Just my preference, though.

 

[echlfan]

I am in california, so it stays pretty warm.

 

[Blue_Myst]

I am in california, so it stays pretty warm.

I don't know how I read that wrong! My apologies, must've had an ADHD moment, there. That or my prescription isn't as strong as I thought

 

[echlfan]

I changed it from Fresno, CA to Fresno, California since i am sure others have mad that mistake, lol. I understand the ADHD moments, lol. All 5 of us have it, It makes for a crazy house for sure.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you feed and water in your run, you give the chickens less reason to be in the coop, hence the poop load inside is reduced. Less poop "management" for you. There are always reasons to do it either way. This is just one for feeding and watering outside.

 

[South Hill Chickens]

Just keep in mind, if a chicken loses as little as 1/10 of it's normal moisture (i.e. becomes slightly dehydrated) they can have severe problems, including death. My neighbors lost a 6 mo. pullet after their largest knocked over the water trough while they were at work. Because of that, we're planning a waterer inside the coop as well as a second one out in the run - one that is securely placed.