Waterer Inside the Coop at Night????

[woodmort]

Quote:
Ditto since day one. In fact, I don't do food outside at all--attracts wild birds and predators.

 

[speckledhen]

Lately, we've been raising the feeders up at night because they really don't need to be chowing down at 3 a.m., and trust me, they will if they have enough light to see by--we hear them on the baby monitor in the coop. I would never, ever remove water from their coop, though. Chickens are huge water drinkers. If mine really are starving (hardly likely), they will probably find plenty of spilled feed in the under-feeder tray we have.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I keep food and water only in the run, after 6 weeks of age (none in the coops). I had a HUGE mold problem before I did this. I remove all food at night. It solved all my problems with bullying over food inside the coops, fuzzy mold under the waterers, and spilled feed everywhere inside the coops.

Everyone gets along fine with several feeding stations in the run- just pecking order stuff.

My layers are laying great, and my younger ones are gaining weight and growing fine.

 

[Carrie Lynn]

Ohhhdear,
Mypetchicken.com has wall mounted feeders that might work for you.

 

[FernyChick]

Hi I'm new here and I found this site by asking this question on Google! I think my coop (I'm in Melbourne Australia - Lockdown city!!) is just too small as the girls I have are really beefy ones. I think they are Isa browns(?). I think they are 20 weeks old? All three of them sit in the nesting boxes (made for two) and are very "close". then there is a little perch area and I cannot fit both the water feeder and the feed feeder in with the girls at night. I have them in the little run at the moment, hanging off the ground, but they have the full run of the yard during the day. My problem is that we get up at about 8am - because the kids are in lockdown and doing school from home, so we are not up as early. We let them out and open the doors to the yard. I am just worried if they want a drink and snack at night - I actually put the water only in there only - is that ok? Last night I was worried so I put a plate of corn inside for them to snack on - LOL. I'm an idiot right?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I am just worried if they want a drink and snack at night - I actually put the water only in there only - is that ok? Last night I was worried so I put a plate of corn inside for them to snack on - LOL. I'm an idiot right?

They don't need food or water in the coop at night at all, unless you have a light on all night for some reason (which you shouldn't). The coop being too small and the fact that they're sleeping(?) in nests is a separate issue, if you want suggestions for trying to fix that I'd suggest starting a new thread with photos and a description of your concerns.

If your climate is very hot and you feel you aren't up early enough to ensure they'll get water to deal with the heat, then I would put in a little water (maybe a chick size waterer) only when heat is an issue.

 

[Sunshine_Chick]

Hi I'm new here and I found this site by asking this question on Google! I think my coop (I'm in Melbourne Australia - Lockdown city!!) is just too small as the girls I have are really beefy ones. I think they are Isa browns(?). I think they are 20 weeks old? All three of them sit in the nesting boxes (made for two) and are very "close". then there is a little perch area and I cannot fit both the water feeder and the feed feeder in with the girls at night. I have them in the little run at the moment, hanging off the ground, but they have the full run of the yard during the day. My problem is that we get up at about 8am - because the kids are in lockdown and doing school from home, so we are not up as early. We let them out and open the doors to the yard. I am just worried if they want a drink and snack at night - I actually put the water only in there only - is that ok? Last night I was worried so I put a plate of corn inside for them to snack on - LOL. I'm an idiot right?

This thread is from 2010. I am in Florida where it is very hot & humid. I also house my 3 chickens in dog crates as I don't have a coop. They free range in my yard all day & sleep in their individual crates at night. I am NOT an early riser so they get out 10:30-11:30am. I only have water in each crate as food attracts pests. I think mine need water because of the heat. I'd say letting them out 8ish is fine; in fact, mine probably want to live with you!

 

[Aapomp831]

We live in Florida and are first time chicken owners/ coop builders. Finalizing the coop this week.

Our coop has attached run (which the chickens are in all day unless free- ranging for an hour late in the day). Do we need to put Water/ Food INSIDE of the closed coop for closing the hens up at night? Do they need to eat/ drink during the night if they have free access all day?

Thanks.

No need for water on the coop overnight. Chickens can’t see in the dark so it’s pointless anyway. As long as you tend to your flock first thing in the morning, they will be fine.

 

[Alycat23]

We keep all available at all times too. We've got a group feeder for the food that we put underneath a raised portion of the coop so rain won't ruin it. Then we have 2 5-Gallon Lowe's buckets that we've fashioned with nipples - one stays hanging in the coop at all times and the other is on a deck for when they're free ranging during the day. The coop door stays open during the day, so they can always get to the food, but I usually spread a little on the grass so they can hunt for it.