Probably the dumbest question ever

[froggiesheins]

Hi, Heres my 2cents~~~ I have a small city/back-yard set-up. I keep water and their oyster shell in the coop. Outside in the run is where they get fed and have more water. I live in southern CA so rain is non-existant in the summer. If you live where it rains frequently, you need to think about making sure their food supply is in a covered area so it does not get damp or wet.
A poop board goes under the roosting pole and is wide enough to catch all the overnight droppings. The BEST bedding inside the coop is playground sand. It is EZE to clean and you can sprinkle it on the poop board to help with clean-up. I have heavy gauge vinyl tacked onto the board to help keep things clean. I clean EVERY AM in the coop and my run [dirt & sand] gets turned over every week.

Hope any of that helps ya and

its a GREAT bunch of people!

 

[catsew]

I guess I forgot about rain

I was thinking about keeping it normally underneath the raised coop. Does that make sense? Although I will have to do something about rain.

 

[mandelyn]

I keep the main food in the coop so as not to encourage the wild birds in their curiosity of free food. They get a small bowl outside for a snack in the morning, but I don't keep it filled all day. If the sparrows figure out they can fit through the roof of the run, they'll want a free hand out. So, no free food hanging around where they can see it!

A non issue if you have small wire all around, but my run roof is 2x4 inch wire.

 

[scooter147]

I keep mine inside as well. Mainly to discourage wild birds from eating it and in turn possible spreading lice and disease to my birds. In the hot days of summer say 90 degrees or more I will move it out. I've notice when it's this warm they don't like to go in to eat, it's obviously warmer in the coop than under the shade tree.

 

[gale65]

We keep it inside. We are prone to sudden rainstorms, especially this time of year, and I don't want it getting wet. When I give treats I give them outside since they're eaten up right away.

 

[MarinMama]

we keep our food and water inside the coop BUT every day i also put a few scoops of feed in their chick feeder (the long, metal kind) and water. i also feed kitchen scraps and treats in the run.

I do not let our chicks out of the coop until after 8am (i have to get the kids up and dressed etc.) so I like to make sure that even if i cannot let them out at the crack of dawn they can still get some food and water. I also like that it makes sure that they eat their feed first and not the treats in the run.

the chicks also get to free range in the yard for a few hours a day.

 

[N. Virginia]

I have heard that a hammock under the roost allows them to go under the roost on a clean floor- useful for a small house.

 

[202roosterlane]

Great read, thank you!
Quote:

 

[stormylady]

I keep the food outside but I keep water inside and outside, they very rarely get up to eat or drink in the middle of the night but in the morning the run for the food bowl as soon as I open the pophole for them.

 

[froggiesheins]

Well catsew, there really is no right or wrong way to do feeding / cleaning it seems. Have a ball with yer peeps!