Should i feed my chickens at night

[1chip2chicks3cheeks]

As @BlindLemonChicken said, it’s not fair to the chickens to try to make them eat when they’re wanting to sleep. It sounds like scheduled feeding times are something that isn’t easily achieved for you, so perhaps free feeding is your best option (leaving food out 24/7). The way to accomplish this without attracting predators too easily would be to use a predator proof feeder such as a treadle style feeder or a hanging bucket with feeding ports that aren’t easily accessible by rats. We use treadle feeders, at night we just put blocks on the part that flips up so that rats can’t trigger it to open when they walk on it, in the morning we take the blocks off and the chickens eat freely throughout the day.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

At risk of sounding harsh in return:

Putting out the food AT A DIFFERENT TIME is one way of being responsible.

The chickens will not care if the food is put out late at night (in the dark) or early in the morning (still in the dark.)



Reading comprehension? Let me point out a few bits of the first post:

OP is just talking about when to fill the food dish, not about when the chickens will eat that food!

Forgive me, I was responding to the accusation that people were being harsh. I don't think anyone was and I can see both sides. I can see why someone would want to put food out at night for their own convenience and I can see why people think saying "I don't have time to do it in the morning" is silly.
Rats are gross. Full stop. Inviting them near your chickens by leaving food out at night is inviting disease. Cockroaches are gross. But neither are predators so if that is literally all Op wants to know and getting peoples' thoughts and ideas outside of that narrow question is unwelcome I will bow out of the conversation.

 

[saysfaa]

A few of us could
I think we're up to four who say your plan should be fine.

Assuming the food is in a secure coop or run... half inch hardware or the equivalent, not chicken wire or similar sized gaps.

Edit to add... or maybe another way to critter proof the feeder.

 

[auntsuzie1946]

Will feeding my chickens at night attract predators? I know that they won't eat at night, but sometimes I'm not able to feed them before dark, or have enough time to feed them in the morning before work. But I'm worried that if I feed them at night, it might attract predators such as skunks, possums, and raccoons.

So basically, I want to set food out for them at night if I cant make it home before dark to feed them so that they can eat when they get up in the morning, but I dont want to attract predators by leaving food out at night. What do you guys think?

 

[auntsuzie1946]

Yes it will attract predators and rats etc. Hate to be so blunt but get up 5 or 10 minutes earlier in the morning and feed your chickens.

 

[Saveria]

We have a baby that can throw curve balls at us at night, so we get that it can be hard to get out there super early. We have a 6x8 coop connected to a 12x6 run that we made 100% predator proof. We used to close the door between the two, but we started leaving it open for ventilation, and so they could come out as early as they want. In the 2 years we have had one vole get in, somehow tunneled under the dug in hardware cloth when the top soil was frozen down, but the chickens quickly ate him

We do leave food out for them at night on a regular basis. We live deep in the wilderness, which I am starting to realize is actually a benefit; mice or the like usually get picked up by a raptor or coyote before they can get to bother with our chicken feed. This system has worked without a hitch for over a year.

Yeah folks, no need to get self righteous. People who have lots of demands on them can still have happy, healthy animals. It is actually a great idea to set up a system that works for everyone. That is called an investment (which our super secure run totally was).

 

[Kiki]

But I don't usually have a lot of time in the morning, so I feed them when I get home, but sometimes I don't get home until after dark and I'm worried about attracting predators by setting their food out at night so they can at least eat in the morning.

I'd suggest you wake up earlier so you do have time.

 

[Saveria]

I don't think you all are meaning to, but you are starting to sound rude. The thread starter didn't ask for everyone to tell them over the internet to wake up earlier. They asked for perspective on how much leaving feed out at night would attract predators, which obviously depends on where you live and your set-up. Maybe we all should have said that, or told of our experiences. Saying " I, myself, just wake up earlier" over and over would have sounded less rude.

Do you all really live lives where you can choose exactly when you go to bed and wake up? Please start a thread on how you are accomplishing that that, because I have too much going on to be able to have control over that reliably. Also, some people have health problems, lots of kids, demanding jobs. Either way, I think chickens are resilient enough to deal with it.

 

[Mary19]

I don't always have time to feed in the morning. I have feeders that will hold a few days feed in the run. I cover it at night and sometimes before dark. It only takes an extra minute or two to run out and uncover them in the morning. I use a plastic barrel with a cover. I have drilled 3 holes in it for pvc elbows and have that type of feeder. I found some caps to put over the pvc elbows at night. I was regularly getting rats or mice eating the food at night this past winter, until I found the caps. I faithfully put the caps on and took them off for about a month and the rats/mice moved on to find a different source of food. Then in late March my husband and I went away for a month. I did not ask my chicken tender to come back and forth every night and morning to cover and uncover the feeder. When I got home, there was no sign of the mice/rats that had been feeding every night at my feeder. I think it would be safe to occasionally leave the covers off at night, after you had faithfully done it for a couple of months.

 

[TNchickenlady]

I have a large galvanized covered feeder that I hangs from the rafters of their covered run. It holds about 25/30 pounds of feed...pellets or crumbles.
I keep it filled and food available 24/7 so my girls can eat at will and I don't have to worry about getting down to the co-op in a timely manner to feed everyday! I fill the feeder as needed...sometimes once a week, sometimes twice at week....more in the winter!
But if it needs to be filled, it can certainly be done after dark! Just a suggestion that has worked great for me, even when I worked! I never worried about my girls going hungry.