Night-Time feed and water?

[Eddy Chicken]

My almost 6 week olds (Monday) have been outside for the last 2 weeks. They have a nice coop and a run that is enclosed on all sides including top and bottom. At night I close their coop. I've been leaving the heat lamp on in the coop at night. Temps at night in the 20's-30's. The chick feeder and waterer has been in the coop but now I now have a heated waterer and hanging feeder that stay outside in a protected area. Should I still put food and water in the coop at night when I close them in till morning? Do they need to eat ad drink all night? I know as babies they were up all night but I'm not sure now. Thanks...

 

[ninabeast]

Once they are in the coop, they should have darkness at night so they can sleep, and when they sleep (which is from dusk to dawn, regardless of the length of time) they are OUT. No eating or drinking. That's my experience, anyway.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

If they have a light on they need the food and water.

Two reasons: to keep them from chewing on each other and because they will be up moving around when the light on/hungry/thirsty.

In the winter I give at least a 100 watt bulb to my chicks until they are 2-3 months old. It is very damp here all winter and I like for them to be able to warm up as they don't have much meat on their bones like a spring chick does this time of year.

 

[jeep381]

Thank you for asking this question, it was my next one. This is the first day in the coop and I spent some time outside showing them the feeder and waterer, they are 5 weeks old. They finally come out of the coop when I was there, but seem to like it better inside so far. But they are young.

 

[Fierlin1182]

I usually keep the food and water outside of the coop. You might benefit from keeping them close for another couple of weeks, but by two months of age my chickens were sleeping all through the night, without a light, and they didn't need the food nearby anymore.