Overnight food and water and size question

[needlessjunk]

I was wondering what y'all do for food and water overnight. With my ducks I take it away around 5 weeks due to mess and I'm wondering if I can do the same with chicks? They aren't nearly as messy but I would rather not have it in the coop. My chicks are 5 weeks tomorrow and are outside in their coop already.

My second question is when are chicks mostly grown? I know they aren't considered full grown till 7 ish months, but when are they mostly grown size wise? What I'm getting at is when can they go out with my ducks without there being a big size difference? Right now my ducks and chicks can see each other through the fence and we are moving to supervised free ranging. The chicks are too little to be out in the yard alone. My ducks don't do anything to them and the chicks are a lot faster anyway.

 

[arkwelded]

we have pekins, there is a big size difference and they are just fine with our hens. our drake will try to herd our chickens and dog away from us if we are feeding treats on the patio. It doesnt do much good as there is only one of him to 30 of them, but there is never been a problem. he has been interested in our new chicks (5 weeks) him and our roos approach them in a very curious manner, so we do not let them get too close right now. our ducks (3 hens and a drake) stick to themselves, but get along very good with our chickens.

as for the water, our chicks do not get water or food at night at about 4 weeks when they move to our grow out coop. it has a roost and a dirt floor just like our big girl coop. i still have to put them in the roost at night, and then close the door as added predator protection. eventually they get the idea and go to roost automatically.

 

[newmarch2014]

I have water available inside the coop at all times since during the winter that is how I can keep it heated and if I want to sleep in and not let them out till late in the morning I want them to have water available but I only leave food available in the coop till the chicks are about 10 weeks old, after that it is only available in the run and I never pull mine up since we don't really have a predator/pest problem where I am (we have 3 dogs and a lot of fence that are a good detterent). They get their fill during the day and are fine locked up over night with no food by that time. I leave it in the coop till that age because the little buggars seem to need to eat constantly till that age as they are growing expontntially but slow considerably at about 10 weeks and sleeping all night.