Food and water inside or out?

[typnslow]

My Coop is finally finished (almost)
Just a little lipstick and rouge left to do.

The kids are 6 1/2 weeks old, them or I neither one have ever
had a coop before. They are still learning to master the biddy ramp,
and it is really funny to watch.

I have food and water inside the coop. Do I also need to have refreshments
in the run for them?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Christie

 

[AKsmama]

I wouldn't. Mine free range most days and we do have water sources for them outside the coop (even though they will run to every dirty puddle of water they can find first and drink like they've been deprived

) but the food stays inside. They'll go grab a snack when they're hungry

 

[bryan99705]

My birds have both food and water inside their coop as well as a water pan in the shade out in the yard and, like AKsmama, they ignore their clean water and drink out of the mudhole the goose swims in. Who knows what goes on in that cave behind those beady eyes but at least they know where water is if they want it.

PS That's a very nice coop

 

[SarahBeth9394]

Until mine were going in and out of the coop on their own I had food and water inside and out. Now the food and water are outside under the coop plus a couple extra water pans in the run. My run is a fortress so I don't even bother closing the coop at night. They go in when it's time to and come out when it's time to. Now when winter comes I'll shut them in at night. But now the weather at night is like a mild day.

 

[stilldeb]

Beautiful coop! We keep our food and water outside under cover and pick it up and bring it in every night when we close up the doors after the gang has gone to bed, then take it all out clean and fresh in the morning when we let them out.

deb g

 

[MyRedStarz]

I'm a chicken keeping novice...have three pullets. We've built them a coop with an enclosed run. In the enclosed run we have food and water. We close them up at about 9pm and let them out at about 6:30am. Should i put food and/or water in the inside of the coop at night for them or should i just let them feed/water themselves while they are out in the run during the day? Thanks for your help in advance!

 

[gritsar]

My flocks free range. I have feeders inside the coops. I feed treats outside. I have waterers inside the coops. Also, several waterers/buckets/sources of water outside. We are soon to construct a nipple watering system outside as well.

IMO, water outside is absolutely imperative if you have very hot summers like we do. Also, I put several shallow pans of cold well water around in the summer, as my chickens like to stand in them to cool off.

 

[1livelychick]

Nice coop!

I keep the feed out in the run..prevents rodents from entering the coop. They eat all day long all they do in the coop is possibly drink and sleep. I do have water in their coops just in case they are thirsty when they first wake up.