Feeder in Coop

[Sahara]

I free range my birds during the day and used to have my feeder on the inside mainly to keep it out of the elements. I recently changed the habits due to the rodents that like to visit the coop while the chickens are out.

 

[sBrickmanHouse]

I think it's going to depend not only on your birds' habits, but also whether you have day time or night time predators.

Much like you, we have a small coop, but a large yard for our birds to free range in.

We keep ALL feeders, and one waterer, in the coop. They don't NEED food in their coop, of course, but we have night time predators, and any food left outside overnight would only attract them more. I don't know if that's a consideration for you, or not.

We have another waterer, just as a spare, in their covered run. They don't spend much time in the run, but the water's always there in case it's insanely hot or they're overly thirsty.

Good luck with your birds!

 

[Linda in San Diego]

Seems like the words, coop and run may be confusing the issues. My Delightful Dozen are in the coop at night and let out into the run first thing in the morning. The coop is the most secure area. The run is partly under the coop. I keep food and water in the run, not the coop. They are going to be in the run most of the day and only out in the yard in the late afternoons and early evening. They are currently finding lots of stuff to eat in the yard they seem to go from the insect bar to the salad bar as they roam the yard. Some areas are more plant eating areas and other areas under leaf litter seem to be the insect bar.

I also cannot leave feed out of the secured run at night, it would be an invitation to rodents and such in the night. And unless we build a chicken only area, my dogs are not trustworthy around the hens without supervision. So for now it is supervised time in the yard for the DDozen.

They do get tasty treats through the day, kitchen scraps and fruit the kids and DH don't want. So they are part of my "composting" efforts and I am wasting less each day. Soon they will add to the kitchen with their eggs. I can hardly wait!

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
It sounds like your set up is delightful.
I think the term "free-range" may be the more confusing thing. People use it for everything from opening the coop door to simply allowing the birds to live around the place, somewhere, anywhere.
It is a very misused term.
True freeranging is what the name implies - no fences, no controls, no concerns. Turn em loose and hope for the best, as it were.
Anything else is controlled forage. From tightly fenced runs to the range rearing methods still practiced by a few people, it is about controlling access. WE oughta be more careful about using the term 'free range'.