Food & Water

[JeStoneIV]

Should I be keeping food and water outside the coop in the run somewhere? My chickens are still kind of young and I'm not sure if they are going into the coop when they are hungry and thirsty. I put them in at night and they seem to run to the feeder, so maybe they are starving by then. Last night was the first time they went into the coop when it was getting dark - should I just let them figure it out on their own, kinda like sink or swim?

 

[teach1rusl]

Well, I keep both in the coop and in the run. Folks seem to do it both ways. When mine were growing, I wanted to encourage a lot of eating to get the nutrients that they needed. But also I didn't really want them in the coop that much because that meant more poop in the coop.
I'm sure they will figure it out eventually, but I think "out of sight, out of mind" happens a lot too. Is it dark in the coop (during the day)? IMO, that would hinder them going in the coop to eat/drink during the day if so...