New to chickens, feed and watering questions?

[Peeps298]

Hello everyone, my name is Ed and Im new to chickens and a new member to the forum. Wanted to throw out a few questions in regards to feeding and watering my birds. Im presently constructing my coop and should be finished late October and my birds will be ready for pick up come late November. Im starting with 2 Rhode Island Red hybrid brown egg layers and 2 White Leghorns. My coop will be 4x6 with a 12x12 run.

My questions are:

-Should I use a hanging feeder in the coop or a fixed / mounted to the wall type?
-Is it sufficient to use only one feeder in the coop and let the birds forage in their run during the day for food? Possibly throw some scratch or feed on the ground?
-Should I have one water station in the coop and one outside the coop or will they find their way back in the coop when they are thirsty?
-In addition to their regular feed and treats should the oyster shell be mixed in with their feed or fed seperatley in a feeder or thrown on the floor?

Im sure I have other questions, lol, but for now this seems to be a good starting point. Thank you in advance for any info you can provide.

Ed

 

[KellyHM]

Make sure fresh food and water are always available. I would keep the waterer outside of the coop (assuming they always have access to their run) b/c this cuts down on the mess in the coop. I would use a hanging feeder in the coop b/c they're easier to clean/maintain. 1 feeder is plenty for 4 birds. I prefer to set up a small dish with oyster shell...that way they can help themselves if they need it and can otherwise skip it. Hope that helps. Good luck!

 

[gryeyes]

With a coop only 4 x6, I'd find a feeder that can be mounted to a wall, although either type would be okay. I'm just thinking of "real estate" and square feet available.....

Feed in the coop, maintain waterer outside. Give treats outside. Provide crushed oyster shell SEPARATELY, do not mix into feed. (I keep it always available in an empty tuna can nailed to the coop wall next to the feeder.)

 

[Strange_Screams]

oh great idea gryeyes, ill do that too with the tuna can

 

[herefordlovinglady]

Don't count on your run having grass too very long. It will be dirt before you know and the "feed" from bugs and grass will be gone. Just a thought.

Welcome to byc....

 

[Peeps298]

Quote:
In the evening when the birds go in the coop to roost, will it still be ok to keep the water outside in the run? I planned on closing their small chicken coop door in the evening for added protection against predators. Will they be fine wo access to water until i re open their door in the morning?

 

[Peeps298]

Quote:
i was planning on closing their small chicken coop door for added predator protection and cold weather insulation. Should I always leave their small chicken door open even in cold weather?

 

[Judy]

Quote:
It depends. They will not get off the roost to drink at night. But they will need water available as soon as they wake up, which is the crack of dawn, well before sunrise.

I have my food and water both in the coop. I am an early riser but it is unusual for them not to be already up and about.

You can buy a small plastic waterer for just a few dollars, or just use a bowl for water in the coop. You might want a rock in it to keep them from turning it over when they try to stand on the edge. The water will stay a lot cleaner if you set it on a concrete block.

 

[gryeyes]

I guess I'm a bad chicken mom; I don't have water in the coops, just the run areas, and of course, all over the yard with the fish ponds and water troughs and dog water dishes and all that...... But the majority of the chickens sleep in a coop with an automatic door, so they come out at sunrise. I manage to open the other coops before 7 a.m. since I have to go to work, and on weekends, it's not much after that time.

However, I plan on putting together a nipple waterer for each coop for just that situation in which they are thirsty before I let them out. Or, god forbid, I cannot let them out for some reason!

I close EVERY one of my coops' pop doors at night, except for the one with the automatic door. It's another barrier to predators.

 

[Peeps298]

Also, how many inches off the coop floor would guys say to mount a wall feeder or hang a hanging feeder?