Where to put water and food?

[Mandied]

We have our coop done finally still working on the run. We want to get our chickens in it to get use to it. Where is the best place to put their food and water?

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I’d suggest putting it where it’s easiest for you to access. And high enough so it’s at their chest level

 

[Mandied]

I’d suggest putting it where it’s easiest for you to access. And high enough so it’s at their chest level

Thank you

 

[BDutch]

Water outside. Not in the coop to prevent a messy floor and humidity in the coop.

Feed depends on you're situation. I prefer under a roof outside the coop. Where it stays dry.

I have several waterers and 2 places with feed. That way there’s always water available. And less quarrelling for feed.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Water outside. Not in the coop to prevent a messy floor and humidity in the coop.

Feed depends on you're situation. I prefer under a roof outside the coop. Where it stays dry.

I have several waterers and 2 places with feed. That way there’s always water available. And less quarrelling for feed.

Yes - sorry I misread and assumed you were talking about in your run OP. I keep food and water in a covered run

 

[Mandied]

Water outside. Not in the coop to prevent a messy floor and humidity in the coop.

Feed depends on you're situation. I prefer under a roof outside the coop. Where it stays dry.

I have several waterers and 2 places with feed. That way there’s always water available. And less quarrelling for feed.

We had planned on putting it outside both food and water once we get the run done. Right now we are just wanting to get them use to the coop and put them in during the day.

 

[Ridgerunner]

For their own reasons, some people feed and water only in the coop. Some feed and water only in the run. Some of us feed and water in both the coop and the run. We all have our reasons and those reasons can be very different. I'll try to touch on a few of those reasons but there will be a lot that I miss.

Reasons to feed and/or water in the coop only

1. Keep wild birds from eating or drinking. That might be to try to avoid exposure to parasites or diseases from the birds or to not pay for food for the wild birds. Some runs keep wild birds out, some don't.

2. If your chickens are left locked in the coop only for a while after they wake up, they will wake up hungry and thirsty. If you let them out real soon after they wake up this is not a big deal.

3. It might be easier to keep water from freezing in the coop. In summer, you may be able to keep water cooler in the coop.


Reasons to keep food and/or water in the run only

1. Feed attracts rodents, feeding in the run may help keep them out of the coop.

2. In winter if you use a black rubber bowl for water and leave it in the sun, it can stay thawed much longer.

3. Depending on how you water, you might get spilled water in the coop. A lot of us don't have that problem but some do.

4. If you feed and/or water in the coop they will spend more time in the coop. That means they will deposit mor poop in the coop so you might have to work harder managing poop in the coop.

5. If your coop is small you may not have room to put food or water inside where it is not pooped in from the roosts. Or the feeder or waterer may be in the way of them flying down form the roosts.


Reasons to feed and or water both in the coop and run

1. If you are integrating it can help to have food and water widely scattered. That is especially important if juveniles are involved. For many people the only way to get that separation is to feed and water in both locations.

That's it off of the top of my head. Hopefully others can add to these lists. You can look through these and see if any convince you that one way is better for you than the others. Whatever you choose, try to make it convenient for you. The more comfortable you are and the more convenient it is, the more you will enjoy your chickens.

 

[Mandied]

For their own reasons, some people feed and water only in the coop. Some feed and water only in the run. Some of us feed and water in both the coop and the run. We all have our reasons and those reasons can be very different. I'll try to touch on a few of those reasons but there will be a lot that I miss.

Reasons to feed and/or water in the coop only

1. Keep wild birds from eating or drinking. That might be to try to avoid exposure to parasites or diseases from the birds or to not pay for food for the wild birds. Some runs keep wild birds out, some don't.

2. If your chickens are left locked in the coop only for a while after they wake up, they will wake up hungry and thirsty. If you let them out real soon after they wake up this is not a big deal.

3. It might be easier to keep water from freezing in the coop. In summer, you may be able to keep water cooler in the coop.


Reasons to keep food and/or water in the run only

1. Feed attracts rodents, feeding in the run may help keep them out of the coop.

2. In winter if you use a black rubber bowl for water and leave it in the sun, it can stay thawed much longer.

3. Depending on how you water, you might get spilled water in the coop. A lot of us don't have that problem but some do.

4. If you feed and/or water in the coop they will spend more time in the coop. That means they will deposit mor poop in the coop so you might have to work harder managing poop in the coop.

5. If your coop is small you may not have room to put food or water inside where it is not pooped in from the roosts. Or the feeder or waterer may be in the way of them flying down form the roosts.


Reasons to feed and or water both in the coop and run

1. If you are integrating it can help to have food and water widely scattered. That is especially important if juveniles are involved. For many people the only way to get that separation is to feed and water in both locations.

That's it off of the top of my head. Hopefully others can add to these lists. You can look through these and see if any convince you that one way is better for you than the others. Whatever you choose, try to make it convenient for you. The more comfortable you are and the more convenient it is, the more you will enjoy your chickens.

Thank you

 

[BDutch]

For their own reasons, some people feed and water only in the coop. Some feed and water only in the run. Some of us feed and water in both the coop and the run. We all have our reasons and those reasons can be very different. I'll try to touch on a few of those reasons but there will be a lot that I miss.

Reasons to feed and/or water in the coop only

1. Keep wild birds from eating or drinking. That might be to try to avoid exposure to parasites or diseases from the birds or to not pay for food for the wild birds. Some runs keep wild birds out, some don't.

2. If your chickens are left locked in the coop only for a while after they wake up, they will wake up hungry and thirsty. If you let them out real soon after they wake up this is not a big deal.

3. It might be easier to keep water from freezing in the coop. In summer, you may be able to keep water cooler in the coop.


Reasons to keep food and/or water in the run only

1. Feed attracts rodents, feeding in the run may help keep them out of the coop.

2. In winter if you use a black rubber bowl for water and leave it in the sun, it can stay thawed much longer.

3. Depending on how you water, you might get spilled water in the coop. A lot of us don't have that problem but some do.

4. If you feed and/or water in the coop they will spend more time in the coop. That means they will deposit mor poop in the coop so you might have to work harder managing poop in the coop.

5. If your coop is small you may not have room to put food or water inside where it is not pooped in from the roosts. Or the feeder or waterer may be in the way of them flying down form the roosts.


Reasons to feed and or water both in the coop and run

1. If you are integrating it can help to have food and water widely scattered. That is especially important if juveniles are involved. For many people the only way to get that separation is to feed and water in both locations.

That's it off of the top of my head. Hopefully others can add to these lists. You can look through these and see if any convince you that one way is better for you than the others. Whatever you choose, try to make it convenient for you. The more comfortable you are and the more convenient it is, the more you will enjoy your chickens.

If there is no article on this topic for the time being, this info would be great for one!

Just add a few pics.