How far away/close should I place feeders and how many feeders do 5 hens need?

[greenpalm]

I have a pretty large backyard, (the whole lot is 150' x 66' but of course my house is on it and they only have the back yard) and my 5, 10-week-old pullets are out on their own most of the day now. I've gradually given them more and more foraging area and less and less supervision, and we finally have all the gaps in the fence pretty secure.

So, the plan is to let them do their chicken thing during the day, and secure them in the coop at night.

My question is, since I have a large PVC feeder full of food in their coop, and they can get back to it if they wish, do I need to put commercial feed anywhere else out in the yard or is the one feeder inside the coop (actually inside the run built into the coop) enough?

In addition to the commercial feed, I throw out a fair amount of treats for them to scratch for, meal worms, seeds, etc. (pretty good variety of stuff) I give them fruit and other kitchen scraps, and I grow wheat grass, alfalfa, and clover sprouts for them, which I just put here and there for them. I think they are pretty spoiled.

Same question about water? I have two Avian drip waterers in the coop and one that is hanging out in the yard some distance from the coop. Surely they'll find it if they need it right?

They have quite a bit of shade, which they like best. I don't blame them here in Texas! They seem to spend most of their time foraging in the deepest shady leafy area. I'm sure there are lots of bugs under all those old leaves.

( As an aside: why don't the eat wood lice AKA rolly pollies AKA pill bugs? I thought they'd groove on those, but they completely ignore them!)

Thanks!

 

[Wisher1000]

You have the food and water covered, and yes, they will go back and get it when they want. If you wanted to put water under the bushes where they hang out, it would keep them from having to cross the open lawn as much. That is when the hawks can see them.

 

[greenpalm]

Thank you, yes, the third waterer is in the shade near where they spend the most time. Thanks so much!

 

[RJSorensen]

I let mine out to range from early morning to the time they put themselves to bed. I have my main feed and waterer in the coop and one over in the shade where they just love to spend a lot of their time. Mine are a few weeks older than yours but I think that what you are doing should be just fine.

It is true they don't like to be out in the open, cover and shade are best for them.

You are doing fine by me,

RJ

 

[flyawayca]

Mine free range once the weather cools down and I can watch them. They drink from my dog's water bowl when they are out of the run. In the run I have them on the nipple waterer system.

My chickens love rolly pollies! It's interesting to me that yours don't. It's their favorite right after snails they find.