How many feeders and waterers in new coop for 13 chickens?

[kurt s]

We are putting our 12 girls and 1 boy (named Lucky!) out in the new coop next week at 5 weeks old. Its an 8x8 coop with a 20x30 enclosed run. My question is should we put a feeder and waterer in the run as well as in the coop? They will have access to both through the pop door. These is our first flock but its time to go outside as they are flying around our guest room like chickies on crack! Amusing but messy. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Do you have a covered run, in the event it rains, the feed won't get wet?

 

[Patricia Jane]

When I first put them out I had both feeder and waterers in the coop for about a week so they would know that this is their house. I now have the feeder in the coop and the waterers in their run. They are not in the coop during the day unless to lay or if they want to go in. I fill the feeder for them when they go into the coop at night so they eat in the morning before I let them out. No need for the wateres in the coop. When they go in at night it's to sleep. Oh and

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[NottinghamChicks]

When mine first go out I have it in both and when they are more mature, food and water are outside in my covered run and only water inside. The water is so that in the warmer weather they have the ability to hydrate if I do not get out to open the door to their run right away.

 

[Wildflower_VA]

They need water in the coop and in the run. Chickens drink a lot, and can dehydrate rapidly. I only have food in the coop, but you can do both. My main reason is because I want them to eat and lay eggs before going out to forage in the morning. The other reason is that my run isn't covered and the crows, blue jays and squirrels were eating up more of my expensive organic feed from Countryside than my chickens were.