Should I have water and feed in the coop? Pro's & Con's

[Fluffyflufffluff]

I am designing my new coop & run build for this spring. It will be a 6x6 coop with a 12x20 run attached. Should I have the feed and water in the coop or the run. What is the best? I tend to lean towards the coop being just for roosting with no water or feed. What are your thoughts? Thanks

It's better not to have feeds inside the coop When they're full, and the feed just stays there. It is prone to bacteria that your coop might accidentally eat.

 

[aart]

It's better not to have feeds inside the coop When they're full, and the feed just stays there.
It is prone to bacteria that your coop might accidentally eat.

@Fluffyflufffluff Say Whaaat?!

 

[Manhen]

It is prone to bacteria that your coop might accidentally eat.

Say Whaaat?!

Yeah...I am not totally sure what was said but I think mold is a problem, and not over filling the feeder should stop that. It just that they don't need it. Kind of like me and a donut.

 

[365username]

I am designing my new coop & run build for this spring. It will be a 6x6 coop with a 12x20 run attached. Should I have the feed and water in the coop or the run. What is the best? I tend to lean towards the coop being just for roosting with no water or feed. What are your thoughts? Thanks

If you let them out early in the morning then you should be fine, but if you let them out a bit later than 7:00 then might be better to have water inside. With the food you can leave it in but it will run out sooner. You could also just feed them in the morning and afternoon.

 

[Manhen]

If you let them out early in the morning then you should be fine, but if you let them out a bit later than 7:00 then might be better to have water inside. With the food you can leave it in but it will run out sooner. You could also just feed them in the morning and afternoon.

I work with the sun as a guide. If it's light out, the coop needs to be open. The chooks are back in the coop before dark, sometimes through mid-dusk, all voluntarily.

Got a lame one I noticed this morning. Small black one. Limping. No broken bones. She is the kind to be in the way...

 

[woodmort]

I sort of get a charge out of those that worry about stuff getting kicked in their waterers and making it dirty For one thing, when chickens are outside, they drink out of puddles, including those in their run where they're pooping all the time. If you're bothered by debris in the waterer, empty and refill it.

 

[Guinnski]

We have been discussing having food available in the coop or not and this thread has been most helpful for us new chicken peeps! Thanks.

 

[jspeese]

I've done it both ways. I like the feed in the coop because it is protected from the elements and songbirds. I keep a hanging water fountain in the coop as well. I hang it at drinking height, which keeps it relatively straw-free. Inside the coop, the water doesn't freeze as much in our North Augusta South Carolina/Augusta Georgia winters. But if I had ducks, I'd definitely put the water outside because they make such a mess with it.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I keep food and water in the run. It’s enclosed and predator proof so no problem with that type of loss. Chickens are not as messy as ducks but they’re still messy and it’s better to keep the mess in the run.

 

[Compost King]

Con to having water in the coop.. spilt water can lead to ammonia build up. Sometimes I need to do it because the chickens are locked in for homing purposes. If I do keep water in a coop its one of my hardware cloth floors so any spillage passes through.