Food and Water in the run VS in the coop?

[brewmiss96]

I'm designing a new coop and noticed a lot of people build feeders for inside the coop. I always had my food outside, and the one time I tried to have an auto waterer inside it made such a mess. I'm wondering about people's opinions regarding these two strategies.

 

[journey11]

I have a large coop (maybe too large) that is converted from one end of a small shed/barn. I had lots of room for mine, so that's why I put the food/water in there. Also, with the food inside it will keep drier. We get a lot of horizontal rain up here.

On hot days I'll set an extra waterer outside, but I keep it inside otherwise.

 

[Cats Critters]

I keep the food inside so they can eat any time and water outside because they spill it inside.

 

[PortageGirl]

LOL, almost gotta have it inside for winter where there's nasty winters, not to mention rainstorms during the day in the summer.

Mine have feed and water inside, they eat in the AM till I let em out, they free range all day with water outside too, then come in and eat a little more in the evening. They've been coming in for snacks in the afternoon too, but usually have very full crops all day from foraging outside.

 

[ChooksChick]

I move it inside when the weather gets rough, but I limit the amount of time it's inside to necessity, because I end up with mice in there. I really didn't like the nest of mice under the broody...

 

[Amethyste]

My food and water are always inside for my girls.

Treats are outside! I have alwys been told that it reinforces the idea of the coop itself as HOME, so they are more likely to go in there at night.

Besides, in the Pacific NW it rains a bit more often that some parts of the US, so I like to make sure that the food is dry, and I dont have to worry bout it. The water stays inside, but in the offchance that we have the very rare HOT HOT HOT weather they will have an extra waterer outside.

But most of the year, the treats are outside only, and the inside only is for their food and water. In bad weather when they are inside cos it is too snowy or wet or icy, they will get treats inside.

Have never had a problem with mice or rats in my coop, and the only issue is the flies outside grrrr....constantly fighting them! Not any spillage or anything have I seen with the girls...they are so good

 

[fldiver97]

Some Scratch and water in the run, feed and water in the coop and they forage for a few hours a day. And I am the walking treat dispenser.....

 

[ShaggysGirl]

I keep food and water in the coop. Treats like scratch, fruit, veggies ect are given out in the run

 

[the lemon tree]

I only keep food and water in the run as it cuts down on the mess in the coop exponentially. They don't spend too much time in the coop anyway, since they only hang out there right before bedtime.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

it depends on the time of year -

in summer everyone free ranges all day long - so the food and water are outside the coops - I keep them in one of the runs that has roof over it in case of rain (well, actually in various places all over the yard, but the main feed station is in the run with the outer door open)

In winter we get more rain than snow - and it is usually the blowing heavy sort of rain - then each coop gets it's feed an water inside.

meri