where does the food go?

[shaggy]

i know this is an odd question --- but i was reading the "Annoyed" thread and realized that if you lock chicks up in a coop for 2-3 days or weeks -- their food would need to be in the coop with them.

i have been working under the assumption that their food and water would be in the fenced in run.

.... so ... where does the food go, in the fenced in covered run - or inside the chicken coop?

 

[JennsPeeps]

Every situation is different. I've got a small coop (check out my BYC page for pics of it). At my house, food goes under the coop, not in it.

 

[shaggy]

Quote:
nice ... very similar to what i am doing

 

[chickenfever]

Mine have access to the run at all times so I leave food and water in the run. That way it isn't taking up valuable space in the coops.

If I were going to Lock them up inside the coop for days then I would put food and water inside for them.

 

[Im4dabirds]

What about if they're in the run during the day, but locked up at night? Can I just keep a small waterer in the coop and leave the bigger one and feeder out in the run?

The run will be partially covered.

 

[W.CharltonChickens]

I leave their food and water in the coop. The coop is open all day, and they come and go as they please to get water or food. I also throw scratch on the run for them to peck and play with. At night the coop is locked up. I had thought about placing food and water out in the run as well. But, it doesn't seem to be necessary since they'll go in for water when they want it.

Todd

 

[Redhead Hen]

Mine have access to the run 24/7. We have a feeder haning under the coop and water in the run. Since I have small chicks in there, we placed a feeder on the wall of the coop and a small water thing in the coop. Once they are bigger the water in the coop will go.

I would *think* if they are locked in the coop overnight, you may want to put water in there.

 

[cherig22]

I will have the food and water in the run. A small waterer in the coop, I don't know if they get thirsty at night. I know I do, lol. But the food outside, more space and less mess in the coop.

Cheri

 

[AngieChick]

My coops are small, so the food is in their covered runs.

My chicks have a light at night still, so they have food in both their run and coop. Once the light is gone, though, no more midnight snacks for them. Their food will strictly be in their run at that point.

 

[arlee453]

If they have full time access (at least daylight hours access) to the run...

AND you can put the feed under cover of some type to keep it dry

then I'd put it in the run so you have more space available in the coop.

If you live somewhere where you'll need to coop up the hens when it's bitterly cold, OR they won't have daylight hours full time access to the run then put it in the coop.

I use a plastic 35lb auto dog feeder I bought at Tractor supply. I took out the door that the dog would push open to get to the food and then I placed that under a small shelter I built to help keep the food dry.

I've had no problems at all with this setup keeping the food dry.
You can see my food setup in my webcam when it rotates thru to the chicken pen - look to the far left of the image and you'll see the feeder under it's shelter.

-S