HELP! With feeding and watering!

[YNOT2K]

We're trying food and water in the run and none in the coop. Seems to be working so far.

The girls do seem hungry in the morning though!

 

[iwiw60]

We're trying food and water in the run and none in the coop. Seems to be working so far.

The girls do seem hungry in the morning though!

Having feed/water in the run only is fine in warm climates, but for those of us in snow country we have to also keep feed/water in the coop for those snow days...

 

[Toddrick]

My coop's "run" is half under the coop, since it is a tractor design. The part that is under the coop (and has boarded up sides for the winter) is where the food and water hangs from. Since the coop is very small, and there really isn't anywhere that poop wouldn't fall from the roosts, I don't plan on putting food/water inside (especially water due to humidity concerns). However, it's only gotten down to 40F, and the chickens won't come out of the coop on most days, even if I call them and throw scratch.

Is this normal? I expected them to hang out under the coop like they did on hot days. As a compromise, I've started putting vegetables in a small bowl in the corner of the coop for now. I am pretty sure they are having a light molt btw, which could explain their behavior.

 

[threescompany]

My coop's "run" is half under the coop, since it is a tractor design. The part that is under the coop (and has boarded up sides for the winter) is where the food and water hangs from. Since the coop is very small, and there really isn't anywhere that poop wouldn't fall from the roosts, I don't plan on putting food/water inside (especially water due to humidity concerns). However, it's only gotten down to 40F, and the chickens won't come out of the coop on most days, even if I call them and throw scratch.

Is this normal? I expected them to hang out under the coop like they did on hot days. As a compromise, I've started putting vegetables in a small bowl in the corner of the coop for now. I am pretty sure they are having a light molt btw, which could explain their behavior.

Are they coming out in the morning to eat and drink at all? Maybe they are just happy in the coop. My coop sounds very similar to yours , with the covered area underneath with food and water there. My girls are ready to come out every morning when I open the coop door and they go straight to eating, drinking and scratching in the run. There are lots of times during the day that they are in the coop just hanging out, have chicken church in the roosting area. I haven't worried too much because they seem happy and healthy.