How many feeders/trinker do I need

[Steffen595]

Hi there,

perhaps a silly question: don't I need 2 feeders and drinkers, one each inside the house for the night and one in the run for the day?
The house would be closed at night?

Thanks for your answers!

 

[Chick Charm]

You don't HALFTA! Hens aren't drinking & eating at night. Be sure they can get to water & feed though at first light. If hey are locked in a coop that you have to open to let hem out there should be NO SLEEPIN IN though.

 

[monicci]

oh please, i need this answer.

 

[Steffen595]

on a 40° day they would want some drink?

Just in the process of building drinkers and feeders, thats why. Would be less mess if its just in the chicken run

 

[leemamahen]

Thanks for this, I was just thinking the same thing! I think I will just keep my food and water outside. But then I think about other animals trying to get into the run to get the food so maybe I should keep it in the coop. What to do??

 

[Steffen595]

get chicken feeders that have to be operated by the chickens, like drinker nipples and grain feeders.
Should be set at some hight, so that small critters don't get there. If it attracts insects, chooks will fix that ,-)
Also thinking about putting a rat bait station next to it.

 

[UrbanScratch]

You don't HALFTA! Hens aren't drinking & eating at night. Be sure they can get to water & feed though at first light. If hey are locked in a coop that you have to open to let hem out there should be NO SLEEPIN IN though.

In regard to the second half of your statement. How does the chickens "sleeping in" effect things as for as the chicken goes? I do have this setup, and they are locked in until about 6-7AM when i get out there. Could i be effecting something in a negative way? Thanks.

 

[Steffen595]

its more in terms of, they wake up when the sun comes out, then they will wake you up.
Should not be an issue for me, getting up 6 AM on weekdays, wake up same time on weekends. So can let them out, get back to bed.

 

[Chick Charm]

The joke of sleeping in, was directed toward us the chicken keepers, not the chickens. If your feed and water are in the coop, that is fine. I personally like mine in the run so that the waste (food, water and poo) is kept out of the coops as much as possible. You can have feeders and water supply in both or several places if you like, but again there is not a lot of eating going on at night on the roosts.

 

[Steffen595]

just the drinker than, am a bit worried, its in Melbourne, had 4 weeks of 30C recently, did not cool down until 2 AM or so, the chooks may get dehydrated?
Or, shall I just not lock them in? Have to fox proof the whole lot anyway, do does not make a difference, if the house (its a house, a small copy of ours I did from leftover building materials) is locked or not.