Feeding late at night instead of early morning?

[Felicia]

I am considering feeding late at night instead of early morning. I would be feeding around 10 to 11pm at night, and then they would wake up to their food and water fresh. I am a late night person, and not a morning person. I struggling getting out of bed early enough to get them all taken care of (I have lots of animals) and getting myself ready with out being late to school. So I thought maybe this could work.

What do you think?

 

[THough1956]

It will work just fine. They are not going to eat it till morning anyway!!!

Ideally it is good to feed before they roost so they have a full crawl for the night.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Yea, I feed just before dark they go to bed full, eat bugs all day an top up on feed just before dark.

 

[felidaet]

You did not mention if you are raising layers or meat birds. You also did not mention it you feed them in the coop or in the run.

I have layers. They have food available 24x7. I built a feed bin that holds 150 lbs of feed. The feeder is inside their coop. The coop is locked tightly at night.

If you leave food in the run instead of the coop at night you are inviting predators to tear their way into the run and eat it.

 

[tdkmom]

I have layers too and I have feed available 24/7 also. They would go nuts if they didn't have food all the time! I supplement with fresh greens, about an hour a day in the yard (too many hawks & eagles to let them out free range - I wouldn't have any chickens left) and various leftovers from our supper.
Oh and the feed is in the coop and they are all locked up tight at night.

 

[lurky]

Quote:
I agree, they should have 24/7 access to feed/water. I top the feed/water off everyday.

 

[Big C]

Our flocks have feed 24/7
Refresh/refill is done after 6 pm

 

[shelleyd2008]

I feed mine in the morning, but in the colder months I give them some corn/scratch in the evenings. I don't see why feeding them later in the day would hurt them though. Just be sure your coop is secure, the mice/rats would clean out the feeder before the chickens even woke up!

 

[zatsdeb]

our birds have access to layer feed 24/7 also, and scratch in the morning or afternoon, whenever we mozy on out there!!

 

[elmo]

Quote:
Going to roost with a full crop really helps birds make it through cold nights, because it takes energy to produce heat.