Which do you Prefer?

[Chicken person]

Do you rather the feeder and water in or out of the coop or both?

 

[Cowgirl71]

I keep both the feed and water in the coop, for the simple reason that if a cow came along she'd eat all the feed, likely break the feeder in the process, and a couple swigs of water and the water pan would be dry, LOL. Other reasons include that the feed is more protected from the weather and other animals (wild and domestic) if kept in the coop. The water stays at a better temperature in the coop (warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer). Also, I like to attract the hens into the coop, it helps them use the nest boxes better, vs laying their eggs wherever they fancy.

Although I should add that as far as the water goes, that does depend on what kind of coop floor you have. Back when I used a coop with a wood floor I had to keep the water outside (because if any spilled it had a tough time drying because I had bedding on top of the wood). But now that I use a dirt floor I keep the water in the coop. I don't have to worry about the floor rotting out, and if I move the water pan to a new spot every day the old spot is totally dry in 24 hours or less (often within just a few hours, depending on the weather).

 

[chfite]

I keep food inside out of the weather and away from other birds. I keep the water outside so any spillage is on the ground. It is easier to manage the water from the outside as it needs more frequent attention than the large feeder inside.

Chris

 

[1muttsfan]

Food inside. Water outside in the summer, inside in the winter.