Wow! My first post! I know all you veteran chicken owners can help! We have our first herd of chicks (6 weeks old) and I think that they are ready to go out into the coop with the big girls at night. I have fenced off an area for them that is totally safe and secure...the older girls are not real keen on the babies yet. Do they still need the food and water in the small sleeping area at night? They are turned out into their own little run during the day where they have access to food, water and dirt, but haven't really been eating or drinking at night since turning off the lamp? Any thoughts?
I would still provide food and water at night. Especially if you having hot nights like we are, they first thing they'll look for in the morning is water. Now if you are putting them up after dark and letting them out with the sun then I'd say no, don't worry about it. But if you aren't putting them out until, let's say an hour, after the sun comes up, then I'd at the very least keep water in there with them. You never know what might delay you from putting them in their run, so again, I'd say atleast keep water in their nighttime spot.