Where to place the food/water in my coop?

[VtotheAL]

Question: my coop has a run that goes under it. Is it ok to leave the food and water under the sheltered portion? I figure any bugs it attracts, the chickens would be glad to eat. Or should it be left in the fully enclosed portion of the coop? Advice?

 

[Masonicflock]

I don't keep any food or water in the coop. Only did it when they were young. It will do fine under as long as you can easily reach it.

 

[Den in Penn]

Either place could work. Try each place and see how it goes.

 

[VtotheAL]

Have any of you ever used the galvanized steel canteen waterer that just hangs on the 'wire' of the run? Or the galvonized cage corner feeder? Seems like they might be a good solution to keep junk out from the chicken's scratching and save space in a small coop.

 

[Eric T]

I don't keep any food or water in the coop.  Only did it when they were young.  It will do fine under as long as you can easily reach it.

Can you define young masonic? I have six RIR's that are two weeks old. When I move them out to their coop (which is currently under construction) in a couple weeks should I still have food and water inside for them?

 

[Masonicflock]

At what point do you plan on moving them out? If I remember I pulled food out round 3 months old at max I think? basically at the point where they learn to go in and out on their own I move food out.

 

[tarheeltwice]

Hi. New here, saw your coop and it looks like my set up. Just wondering how you clean the covered run? No adult can enter that part to clean. Also what do you have protecting from burrowing predators?

 

[LeskoLayers]

Question: my coop has a run that goes under it. Is it ok to leave the food and water under the sheltered portion? I figure any bugs it attracts, the chickens would be glad to eat. Or should it be left in the fully enclosed portion of the coop? Advice?

This is such a great question I was going to ask this myself. I have 4- 4weeks old GSL in a brooder. I hope the rain lets up so I can finish up the coop and get them out there in the next 2 weeks. But I was wondering about keeping water/ food in the coop Do I reallly need to put it in there? Im short on space as it is. I was really hoping I can get away with not.

 

[Masonicflock]

I just moved a bunch outside into a dog igloo until I can build a biiiig coop. They are quite happy with having the food and water out where they can romp and forage. They are maybe 2 months old and use the igloo for shelter only lol

 

[VtotheAL]

Hi.  New here, saw your coop and it looks like my set up.  Just wondering how you clean the covered run?  No adult can enter that part to clean. Also what do you have protecting from burrowing predators?

I am actually keeping my coop/run on a cement slab. I don't have the freedom to tear up the grass and put a burrow proof netting under the ground, etc. I bought a thin rubber mat liner at Home Depot it's big enough for the coop to sit on with about 6 inches extra all around. I put the coop on that, then fill it with pine shavings. I put a large rock under each corner to form a kind of 'moat' around the coop, so the shaving don't get blown everywhere. The cement stops digging predators. Then, I clean it once a week. I just pick up the coop and move it off, and pick up the mat and slide all the dirty shavings into the trash. It's so easy and clean. I let them out to play and search on the grass every day when I get home for a while.