Just starting out.... 15 week chics.... a few questions

[amyM17]

Hi everyone!!! I got 10 -day old -chicks back in April from Agway.... they are mixed breeds. 2 yellow, 2 black, 2 red, and 4 that lay the blue eggs. (We've only lost one so far special Eddie.... he/she had a scissor beak and passed at 11 weeks.... was the sweetest chic I've ever met.) This whole new hobby started with 10 chicks $200 and library book and now Im obsessed!!! Questions:
1. Are you supposed to keep food and water in their nesting coop all day and night?
2. I have a 20x20 foot fenced in run 6 foot high and 1/2 covered by a canopy. Am I supposed to dump all the food and water every night or can I keep it outside? Everything is in regular feeders from tractor supply. Chickens get locked up every night in their coop at sundown and go out about 730 am and free range in the fenced area all day.
3. I have regular bedding in the nesting box but they kick it out and I think they sleep in there I should be getting eggs soon... what is the proper material to put in there.....
Thank you!!!

 

[PD-Riverman]

I feed my chickens with a scoop----learning how much to have in the scoop. I want them to get what they need but not much left in the feeders at night----so I am not feeding every rat within a mile. Of course I have about 10 cats patrolling the area, plus I have 67 chicken pens(to many feeders to pick up). With your set-up---you might raise/remove the feeder at dark if you want. If you got them locked up in the coop, maybe once a week you can rake the area around the feeder so the dirt is raised up---then check for little foot prints in the morning before letting them out to see if you have a rat or two visiting.

"Think they sleep in there" You visit your coop at night and you will Know if they are sleeping in there. If they are---move them to the coop/roost to break that Bad habit. If you don't you will have poop all in your nesting boxes as well as all over the eggs when they start laying. You can even close off the nesting boxes until they get close to laying if you want?

I use hay---Bermuda or even long leaf pine needles---I do not have any problem much with them kicking it out, but I do not add this until they are at the laying age.

 

[amyM17]

Thank you!

 

[alibabba]

You'll figure alot as you go, important... what predator proofing do you have?