Size of feed and water containers needed

[dmaldet]

Reaching out again for some good advice. New to the chicken world and we are setting up our coops. My daughter and her family are doing four hens at most and I will be doing ten at most.

We are wondering what size if feeders and waterers will be necessary. If we would be away for a short weekend we want to make sure that they will have enough till we get home.

All suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

[pdirt]

For feeders and waterers, I recommend getting the biggest feeder you can afford or fit in your space. We have 9 chickens and our feeder will hold about 30lbs of feed (most of a 40lb bag of feed). We also use a 5 gallon nipple bucket for those 9 chickens. Which I fill about once a week during most of the year and about twice a week during the really hot months (95-108F).

Keep the feeder and waterer out of direct sunlight and both will be fresh for days. Sometimes we get a little algae growing in the waterer and I just scrub it out each time I refill.

Trust me, it is peace of mind to go away (will you NEVER go away for more than a weekend?) and not have to arrange a chicken sitter to feed/water or to worry if they have enough. Usually if we arrange for a sitter, we just ask them to pick up the eggs (usually we just let them keep them) so they don't have to bother with dealing with feed or water.

For the four chickens, again as large a feeder as possible (maybe holding about 15 pounds) and a 3 gallon waterer would be good. Of course you don't need to fill the feeder or waterer completely full if you don't want to, but you have that option if needed.

 

[dmaldet]

Thank you!