When can I take water and food out of the coop?

[Fatherdowling]

My chickens are around 6 weeks old, and I was wondering when I can move their food out of the coop, and place it permanently in the run. I feed them "scrarch and peck organic chicken starter" and plan on transitioning them to "scratch and peck organic grower" when the current 40 lb bag runs out in a couple weeks.

 

[ReagyEggy]

I personally like to keep the feed inside the coop so they can eat it before they go to bed at night, but if you like keeping it in the run, go ahead. As long as the weather is fine, it doesn't matter whether or not you keep the food in the coop or the run.

 

[blackdog043]

As long as they are using the coop and run and the food will stay dry, it doesn't really matter.

 

[SarahBC]

Do they need food at night or can they be locked in the coop and just have food and water during the day? What age can you only leave the food out during the day?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I agree you can move the feed out now as long as they are off lights (which it sounds like they are) and the food and water will stay dry and easily accessible without getting a lot of dirt kicked in.

I have 2 week old chicks (with broody momma hens) staying out in my run now with food and water down there...they go up the little chick ladder at night into the coop to cuddle with momma in the nest in my 2nd coop (which has no food and water)...then back out to venture forth the whole day. My 1 week olds are still in the first coop with food and water with their momma hen, who has decided they are too young yet.

Babies can go out very early with mommas, so as long as they can get to food and water and stay warm, out of weather, there is no need to overly pamper them.

At 6 weeks....my mommas are telling them to get their own roost spot at that point!
6 weeks is fledgling age.

LofMc

 

[rosemarythyme]

My chickens are around 6 weeks old, and I was wondering when I can move their food out of the coop, and place it permanently in the run.

You can move it out anytime you want, they're plenty old enough to not need food available all the time.

What age can you only leave the food out during the day?

I started acclimating chicks into the coop (and took away 24/7 food/water access) at 4 1/2 weeks. Next time I'm hoping to do that a little earlier, weather and temps permitting.

 

[Timothy Menezes]

6 to 8 weeks is a good time to make the switch. Their fastest growth is coming to an end so its not essential to have food in front of them all the time at that point.

 

[DobieLover]

I agree you can move the feed out now as long as they are off lights (which it sounds like they are) and the food and water will stay dry and easily accessible without getting a lot of dirt kicked in.

I have 2 week old chicks (with broody momma hens) staying out in my run now with food and water down there...they go up the little chick ladder at night into the coop to cuddle with momma in the nest in my 2nd coop (which has no food and water)...then back out to venture forth the whole day. My 1 week olds are still in the first coop with food and water with their momma hen, who has decided they are too young yet.

Babies can go out very early with mommas, so as long as they can get to food and water and stay warm, out of weather, there is no need to overly pamper them.

At 6 weeks....my mommas are telling them to get their own roost spot at that point!
6 weeks is fledgling age.

LofMc

You can move it out anytime you want, they're plenty old enough to not need food available all the time.



I started acclimating chicks into the coop (and took away 24/7 food/water access) at 4 1/2 weeks. Next time I'm hoping to do that a little earlier, weather and temps permitting.

I find all this quite interesting. I try to keep my unnatural chicken rearing (if a broody isn't raising the chicks, it's unnatural) as natural as possible.
My chicks went into the built in brooder in the coop the day they arrived from the hatchery. They are under a brooder plate with a towel draped over it and touching the floor on three sides. I left lights on in the brooder room for just 2 days to make sure the chicks had recovered from shipping stress.
I went out to the coop on the morning of their 5th day of life after the lights had been off overnight for the first time for them and it was 28F. Where were the chicks and what were they doing?
Zipping and running all over the brooder having a grand time and stuffing their little crops silly. They are feathering out beautifully and flying all over the place now.

I'm certainly not advocating not to watch these little ones closely for issues as you have to act quickly if something goes sideways. But they are so much hardier than we give them credit for.
Incidentally, I've only had one chick out of 15 get pasty butt, one time. That's it.

 

[Fatherdowling]

I find all this quite interesting. I try to keep my unnatural chicken rearing (if a broody isn't raising the chicks, it's unnatural) as natural as possible.
My chicks went into the built in brooder in the coop the day they arrived from the hatchery. They are under a brooder plate with a towel draped over it and touching the floor on three sides. I left lights on in the brooder room for just 2 days to make sure the chicks had recovered from shipping stress.
I went out to the coop on the morning of their 5th day of life after the lights had been off overnight for the first time for them and it was 28F. Where were the chicks and what were they doing?
Zipping and running all over the brooder having a grand time and stuffing their little crops silly. They are feathering out beautifully and flying all over the place now.
View attachment 1762792

I'm certainly not advocating not to watch these little ones closely for issues as you have to act quickly if something goes sideways. But they are so much hardier than we give them credit for.
Incidentally, I've only had one chick out of 15 get pasty butt, one time. That's it.

Thanks for the reply, I really appreciate the info. Out of my 13 chick's only one had pasty butt, and that only happened once. I moved my chick's outside to the coop when they were between 3 and 4 weeks old. I currently have 2 Red Star's inside the house, but will be moving them to the coop in about a week and a half.