Hello, We are replacing our current coop and building a new one, similar to the photo attached. The one in the photo has nesting boxes on one side and the other side has space for feeder/water. Currently we keep feed/water outside underneath the coop where they sleep. Should we start keeping the feeder/water inside? Are there advantages or disadvantages?
PRO’s and CON’s of feeder/water in coop
- Thread starter Minnie417
- Start date
I personally see no advantages to having the food and water in the coop.
They take up space and can get knocked over making a mess at best and turning the coop bedding into a stinking quagmire at worst.
Others think differently, but having the feed and water out in the run where there is more space and spills are less of a problem works best for me.
They take up space and can get knocked over making a mess at best and turning the coop bedding into a stinking quagmire at worst.
Others think differently, but having the feed and water out in the run where there is more space and spills are less of a problem works best for me.
I have plenty of ventilation and room to keep my water and food in the coop. I don’t have an automatic door for them to get out right away into the run in the morning, so I keep the water and food inside so they can eat and drink before I get out there.
Edit: I also have the same set up in the run with food and water, so once the coop door is open to the run, they have two places to eat and drink. No mess with either food and water systems. Works great for me.
Edit: I also have the same set up in the run with food and water, so once the coop door is open to the run, they have two places to eat and drink. No mess with either food and water systems. Works great for me.
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chickentrains
love is love
food Water goes in the run here.
we used to have water in the coop for nighttime and early morning sips of water, but they pooped in it, kicked bedding into it, knocked it over, etc. Not worth it.
we used to have water in the coop for nighttime and early morning sips of water, but they pooped in it, kicked bedding into it, knocked it over, etc. Not worth it.
chickentrains
love is love
and the run is attached to the coop, they can come down as they please. The run opens up to the yard, you have to open the run door to let them out, not the coop door. There is no way to close up the hole in the floor that leads to the run.
Just the opposite here.
My waterer is spill proof, so is my feeder.
My run has no weather protection.
Need power in winter for waterer, that needs protection too.
My coop is built inside a large shed, so all feed is stored(in metal can) in there too.
All depends on where you live in the world,
and how you want to manage your birds, and the keepers, needs.
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SegiDream
Songster
I keep it in the run, you just have to have a covering over the food to keep it dry in wet weather.
I don't keep food in the coop period because I do not want to attract mice or rats or any other animals that might chew their way through the coop or possibly hurt the chickens. We seem to have every animal under the sun lurking around, field rats mice moles possums raccoons bear etc. It's also a small coop so space is a priority. But some people have special feeders and/or hang the feeder to prevent rodents from getting in to the food. I hang the feeder in the run, food goes out in the morning, they have all day to eat it all up plus any bits of food that might fall out so very little food is left out overnight. If it's rainy there's an overhang from the nesting boxes that I put the feeder under to protect it from the rain. And that's temporary until I come up with a better solution...
Mamatomany123
Crowing
I keep my feeder and waterer in the covered run most of the year. When we got our winter storm I put the waterer in the coop to help keep it from freezing. The food stay in the run but I feed fermented feed 2x a day so there is never any food sitting out to get wet.
- Aug 27, 2016
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Feed and water in the run here, also. It's covered so no worries about rain.
My feeder/waterer shelter:
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