We have a feeder in the covered part of our run. We don't have any feeders out in the yards or inside the coop itself. Where do you guys feed your chickens. I often wonder if I should be putting food in the coop. Most of they time the door to the run remains open, unless it gets really cold. Then we shut the door and they have no access to food or water, which isn't really significant because when it's cold, it gets dark early and light late, so we are always up and around before they are. Didn't know if there might be another reason to or not to feed in the coop or on the grounds. Thanks.
That's what we do, feed in the covered run. We have both a people door and chicken door from coop to run, so they always have access. But I don't think it matters that much. Some folks only feed once a day and don't keep a feeder full of food.
We usually feed once a day but are going on vacation and I want to make it as easy as possible on our house sitter so I was thinking of adding a couple of those pig feeders and attaching to the area where we currently feed. The feeders hold 9 pounds each. Of course, I don't have to fill them completely - but there is also nothing wrong with not having to feed every day either, which will easily fit into our busy lifestyle. ;0
We leave a feeder in the covered run. Now that it it cold at night, once they go in the coop, I close their door. I have crumble feed in the feeder and pellets in a dish. We don't have anything in the coop. I figure they are sleeping, so not needed and it isn't big enough to keep in there. They are out first thing in the morning and we leave the coop door open. They go in to lay their eggs and then out again.
I feed in the covered run. In the summer, water in coop and run. Winter - water in coop only (so I can plug in the water heater).
have a 36" reel top feeder and i keep it in the run unless theres bad weather then the food goes in the coop and i always pick it up and bring it inside every night and put it back in the morning. coop and run doors open about 7am and the have access to the whole yard and the feeder gets place back in the run then and the a have free access to it all day till they go to bed and i pick it up and lock them up. i no longer ever keep water in the coops....my ducks would make to much of a mess to be having water in the coop