how to feed chickens

[mrmolases2]

how do you feed chickens treats like watermelon and other things if you don't have a run to put it in and how to you give them grit and calcium

 

[Leigti]

I just throw the treats out on the ground. I have one rabbit feed her with calcium and one with grit. Do your chickens free range? Why don't you have a run?

 

[mrmolases2]

well i don't have a chicken coop yet there 4 weeks olds and like almost 5 but do chickens coop that free range need runs and where will you put the rabbit feeders

 

[rosemarythyme]

Grit and oyster shell can just go in standalone cups or small feeders or anything like that.

Treats I usually throw on the ground or I throw on a "plate" (a planter saucer I keep around).

If you don't have a coop yet, I hope it'll be finished soon. Unless the weather is just awful where you're at, those 5 week old chicks can pretty much be out right now, if you had a coop to put them in.

 

[Leigti]

My chickens free range in my yard but I also have a run. Sometimes it's handy to have a place for them to be contained without having to stay just in the coop. So I would suggest making a run, even if you barely ever use it and just keep the door open to it.
Just put containers with grit and oyster shell somewhere in the run, or near the feeders. They may not need much great if they are free ranging.

 

[mrmolases2]

wait have a run that you can attach or is attached and the door is just open

 

[mrmolases2]

so the waterer would go in the coop with the feeder can you have a waterer outside when they free ranging

 

[rosemarythyme]

It's up to you (and how your set up works) to decide if you want them in the coop, out in the run, stations in both locations, etc. Birds should have access to water at all times while awake, and most folks offer free choice of food during those times as well. Whether or not you want to take those away at night (in one location or more) is up to you. I have water round-the-clock inside the coop, and have recently been putting food out only during day (3 feed stations, 1 inside coop and 2 outside).

 

[rbreininger]

My hens are either in the coop or the run. We haven't tried free-ranging them yet.

My food and water stations are in the run only. The coop is for sleeping and nesting only.

Has worked well so far.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

We keep feed in the coop, water in the run. Tried water in the coop but had a couple of mishaps and didn't want the extra moisture in there especially during the winter.