Where to put Feeder?

[PLaunier]

Right now I have water outside and feed in the coop. I have read many posts about where everyone keeps their feed and water; all are different it seems. My issues is I just let my 5 week old's out into the run and they don't seem to be touching their feed in the coop. Should I put it outside during the day for them? Or will they eventually start going inside during the day to feed if I leave it there?

Here is a video I made for my extended family showing off my newly finished run (In case you want to see my setup). The feed bucket inside the run in this video was just something I tossed out there because I didn't see them go inside all day to eat. They attacked it as soon as I put it out there; hence my question about whether or not to put feed outside during the day.

ANY suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul

 

[bigbruce]

I keep one inside and one out all water is outside.seems to work well

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I always keep both my feeder and waterer outside in the run in a protected place where it won't get wet if it rains. Neither my hens or my meat chickens go inside during the day with the exception of the hens going in to lay an egg. Maybe 3 times during the winter I might put food and water inside because it is really cold and windy but only then. I also bring the feeder into our house at night because I don't want to attract animals or feed mice or rats. I can't seem to keep chipmunks out of the feeders in the fall and the chickens don't seem to care. Perhaps I should get some Buckeys. I've heard that they are good mousers.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

I have water both in the coop & run, feed just in the coop.

 

[Wise Woman]

Right now our water is outside and our food is inside. This does not work in the winter because our chickens share a pen with our goats and it is not covered. With the goats, I don't feel safe running a cord into the pen for a heater for the water as they have to investigate and destroy everything. Putting water inside the coop always resulted in spillage for some reason. I tried one of those nipple waterers that plug into a thermos jug, but they somehow managed to knock it down, the nipple thingy broke and the sand in their coop was soaked with 2 gallons of water. What a mess! And regular waterers, they last about 5 minutes before someone decides to jump on the top o fit and knock it over. I currently use dishpans outside as they seem to prefer to drink out of buckets and so forth. They also make a mess in the coop with their food and the 4 storage cans take up a lot of room in the coop.

That being said, we are going to be getting out of goats and we will be building a new coop so hubby can have his shed back, which he gave up in order that the goats and chickens would have a very nice house to live in. The new spot where we will be putting the coop and run has an odd 5 x 5 cement pad already in the corner. A gift from the previous owners. Rather than trying to remove it, we are going to use that for food, water and food storage. I will hang the little bowls I have for their oyster shell, sunflower seeds etc. on the outside wall of the coop. The food and water will be on the cement pad and will be protected by a block wall on both sides and a roof over the run. I will be able to have a heated waterer if I need one and there will be room for more than one feeder or waterer if we need them. I am done with food and water in the coop!

 

[dandan111]

That's a nice coop you got there. I think they will get the hang of it soon. Put them in at night. We put water inside and out. Feed inside.
Mine took a couple days until they got the hang of going out and in but they got it down pretty fast.