What time do I feed them breakfast?

[chickiechickiebawkbawk]

Hi chicken family,
I am in Northern Vermont and the last few days were cold. I'm trying to give my birds 14 hours of light with the artificial timer that comes on in the morning. It was coming on at 4am and now it comes on at 3 because of daylight savings time. They have to stay in their coops for three more hours after the lights comes on. I have been setting my alarm to go out early but 3 AM is too early! Usually I haven't left food in their coops. Can they wait to eat until actual sunrise or do I need to feed them when their artificial lighting turns on?

Most of my birds are young and about to start laying so I want to make sure to get this right for maximum egg production this winter. Thank you everyone!

 

[DobieLover]

Hi chicken family,
I am in Northern Vermont and the last few days were cold. I'm trying to give my birds 14 hours of light with the artificial timer that comes on in the morning. It was coming on at 4am and now it comes on at 3 because of daylight savings time. They have to stay in their coops for three more hours after the lights comes on. I have been setting my alarm to go out early but 3 AM is too early! Usually I haven't left food in their coops. Can they wait to eat until actual sunrise or do I need to feed them when their artificial lighting turns on?

Most of my birds are young and about to start laying so I want to make sure to get this right for maximum egg production this winter. Thank you everyone!

If they are pullets, they will still lay their first winter. Why not just let nature take it's course, remove the artificial light and let them lay when they are ready and feed them at dawn?

 

[LaFleche]

Hi chicken family,
I am in Northern Vermont and the last few days were cold. I'm trying to give my birds 14 hours of light with the artificial timer that comes on in the morning. It was coming on at 4am and now it comes on at 3 because of daylight savings time. They have to stay in their coops for three more hours after the lights comes on. I have been setting my alarm to go out early but 3 AM is too early! Usually I haven't left food in their coops. Can they wait to eat until actual sunrise or do I need to feed them when their artificial lighting turns on?

Most of my birds are young and about to start laying so I want to make sure to get this right for maximum egg production this winter. Thank you everyone!

The artificial lighting will be quite useless for them if you do not provide feed in the coop as well. Just hang some well equipped feeders in the coop so everyone will get their fair share when the light gets on until it is time to leave the coop and roam outside.

You could install an automatic door that will open and close the coop at a preset time which will allow for uninterrupted sleep.

 

[Alaskan]

Can they wait to eat until actual sunrise or do I need to feed them when their artificial lighting turns on?

If the light is on they need feed and water.

As long as you don't have a rodent issue in the coop, there is nothing wrong with having an always full feeder.

Especially if it is cold, they need unlimited feed and water.

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

I use artificial lights in my coop. I recommend having food and water available when the light turns on. Use a hanging feeder to try to make it harder for rodents to get to the feed.

 

[GC-Raptor]

My hens and pullets jump off roosts and eat as soon as I turn on the lights at 5 am.

Adding light without food could lead to bad behavior and won't increase laying.

If you can't feed when lights come on in the morning. Add lights in the evening instead.

I keep feed and water in my raised coops 24/7.

My raised coops are rodent proof when I close pop door after sunset and well ventilated.
I believe feed and water should be offered as soon as lights come on, or sunrise if you don't add lights. GC

 

[aart]

If the light is on they need feed and water.

As long as you don't have a rodent issue in the coop, there is nothing wrong with having an always full feeder.

Especially if it is cold, they need unlimited feed and water.

Ditto Dat!!

 

[chickiechickiebawkbawk]

thank you so much everyone this is very useful. I had a huge chipmunk infestation and sadly exterminated 6 of them because they were stealing ALL the feed. I have a dog and got two kittens also so the chipmunks are gone thankfully.

I have a Chicken Guard auto door on one coop and the chicken run is almost fully enclosed, just the fence across the top. A 14 foot rafter fell on my hand Monday so I'm in a splint and construction has halted. Not broken thankfully. Predators can still climb over from the top. I hope to get help finishing it this week. Then I can rest easy.
I have a hawk visitor, possum, skunk, and raccoons. I didn't want to leave food in the coop to possibly attract predators, that is why I always go out early morning to put food in the coop. I have to stoke the wood stove anyway

Ok, I will make sure they have food and water when the light comes on.
thank you everyone!
bawk

 

[Al Gerhart]

thank you so much everyone this is very useful. I had a huge chipmunk infestation and sadly exterminated 6 of them because they were stealing ALL the feed. I have a dog and got two kittens also so the chipmunks are gone thankfully.

I have a Chicken Guard auto door on one coop and the chicken run is almost fully enclosed, just the fence across the top. A 14 foot rafter fell on my hand Monday so I'm in a splint and construction has halted. Not broken thankfully. Predators can still climb over from the top. I hope to get help finishing it this week. Then I can rest easy.
I have a hawk visitor, possum, skunk, and raccoons. I didn't want to leave food in the coop to possibly attract predators, that is why I always go out early morning to put food in the coop. I have to stoke the wood stove anyway

Ok, I will make sure they have food and water when the light comes on.
thank you everyone!
bawk

Chipmunks are easily kept out of the right kind of treadle feeder. You need a heavy counterweight AND and spring loaded door AND a distant and narrow treadle step. Stay away from the guillotine style feeders like the Grandpa feeder and the Chinese clones being sold that have the door opening up and down, they are easily pushed open by large mice, rats, and of course chipmunks.

Your coop ought to be possum, skunk, and raccoon proof, all will love to eat your chickens if they can get to them.

And as others have said, having feed available 24/7 is the best practice and it keeps you from having to go out on cold mornings or during a winter storm. Hens need constant feed to survive in cold weather.

BTW hanging feeders do nothing to stop rodents, absolutely nothing. Mice and rats can jump way over ten times their length. I used to open my coop door and see the stupid round hanging feeder just swinging around from the mice jumping off the thing when they heard me coming.