Winter Feeding and Watering

[Tiffany Bateman]

This is my first winter with my chickens. My coop is not big enough for them to have food and water in....(I know, we need a new one!). I am concerned that once the time changes the chickens will be in the coop around 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. and they won't get any more food or water for the day. I live in Cleveland, Ohio. Any suggestions or will they be fine???

 

[lazy gardener]

They will not be fine if you don't have enough room for them. You will see lots of negative issues, starting with feather picking and bullying, and possibly moving on to blood shed.

 

[Tiffany Bateman]

I have enough room for the chickens, just not for the food and water inside. Is that ok?

 

[GRB73]

I have no food or water in the coop and it hasnt been a problem. My coop is small-8 sq ft for 3 hens. They only sleep and lay in there.

The girls were fine last winter. They went into the coop when it was dark and turned into chicken zombies. They don't eat or drink in the dark. I'd let them out as soon as the sun was up and they had their breakfast and water in the run. The key is you have to let them out early so they can eat as soon as they wake. Some people use a timer. I'm an early riser so this isnt a problem for me!

I winterized the run with heavy plastic so they would be protected from the elements during the day.

Happy/healthy chickens all winter. I still got 2 to 3 eggs per day. We are in SE PA.

 

[Tiffany Bateman]

I have no food or water in the coop and it hasnt been a problem. My coop is small-8 sq ft for 3 hens. They only sleep and lay in there.

The girls were fine last winter. They went into the coop when it was dark and turned into chicken zombies. They don't eat or drink in the dark. I'd let them out as soon as the sun was up and they had their breakfast and water in the run. The key is you have to let them out early so they can eat as soon as they wake. Some people use a timer. I'm an early riser so this isnt a problem for me!

I winterized the run with heavy plastic so they would be protected from the elements during the day.

Happy/healthy chickens all winter. I still got 2 to 3 eggs per day. We are in SE PA.

I have no food or water in the coop and it hasnt been a problem. My coop is small-8 sq ft for 3 hens. They only sleep and lay in there.

The girls were fine last winter. They went into the coop when it was dark and turned into chicken zombies. They don't eat or drink in the dark. I'd let them out as soon as the sun was up and they had their breakfast and water in the run. The key is you have to let them out early so they can eat as soon as they wake. Some people use a timer. I'm an early riser so this isnt a problem for me!

I winterized the run with heavy plastic so they would be protected from the elements during the day.

Happy/healthy chickens all winter. I still got 2 to 3 eggs per day. We are in SE PA.

Thank you so much!! You have made me feel a lot better. Out of curiosity, did you provide artificial light to your coop or heat? Also, am I correct that they are going to go in the coop around 4:30 or so when the time changes?

 

[rosemarythyme]

They don't need additional light or heat unless you're in an extreme environment or really want to push egg production. They'll be fine with the food and water they get during daylight hours and will adjust their own schedules accordingly - I did not wake up any earlier or feed them any earlier to compensate.

 

[Folly's place]

My coop and run are one roofed unit, so the coop doors are always open, and I have space for food and water in both areas. In winter, when I need heated bases for my waterers, they have two waterers rather than four, and they are only in the coop. I am NOT out there at 4 am when my winter light comes on every day! I also wrap the lower six feet of my run with two layers of plastic, so they have wind protection all winter. Mary