Would this work? Keeping food dry

[HyperCello]

I finally finished my run (yay!), but I'm concerned about keeping food dry. Will this work? I have 5 chicks. If it won't work, do you have any suggestions? I want to get one of the treadle feeders, but it isn't in the budget right now.

Food inside the bin

It'll be in the covered area.

 

[rosemarythyme]

As long as you don't get winds blowing into the opening of the bin, I don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

[Folly's place]

It's a test! Facing the opening away from prevailing winds will be best, and then see what happens. At worst, you will be feeding damp feed one day, and then replacing the feed.
Mary

 

[HyperCello]

We actually have rain today, so I have it set up. Looks like it is staying dry. I was worried the chickens wouldn't want to eat out of it with it being in the bin. They go out there (hopefully) in the next week or two, so I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[blackdog043]

I'd make an A frame structure or make a lean to roof off the side of the coop. Then place the feeder under it. Make it big enough, so blowing rain won't reach the feeder.

Is the water from the roof running under the tarp and into the run?
Is the tarp on a slant so water runs off? It looks pretty flat and will collect water fast in a heavy rain storm.

 

[HyperCello]

I'd make an A frame structure or make a lean to roof off the side of the coop. Then place the feeder under it. Make it big enough, so blowing rain won't reach the feeder.

Is the water from the roof running under the tarp and into the run?
Is the tarp on a slant so water runs off? It looks pretty flat and will collect water fast in a heavy rain storm.

I'm not very handy (yet) but I hope to put an actual roof on it sometime this year. It is slanted, but not enough....we had rains yesterday and had water collecting, so I'll be revisiting how I have the tarp there.

 

[Folly's place]

You really need a slanted roof, and build for snow load!!! Rebuilding is not fun, it's best to do it once, and have it sturdy enough!!!
Mary

 

[Al Gerhart]

I finally finished my run (yay!), but I'm concerned about keeping food dry. Will this work? I have 5 chicks. If it won't work, do you have any suggestions? I want to get one of the treadle feeders, but it isn't in the budget right now.

Food inside the bin
View attachment 2107497

It'll be in the covered area.
View attachment 2107500

Should work fine as long as the chicks can reach the feed. Don't think most rain is going to blow that far into the coop but I would point it away from the prevailing wind direction. Save your money for now on that treadle feeder. Birds need to be big enough to reach the feed and heavy enough to trip the treadle. Some of the pretty ones have the wide steps and fairly light actions, you don't want that, distant step and fairly stiff action is needed to actually stop the rats.

And do research the feeders before you buy, please! Never trust the shopping cart reviews completely, find a third party site or blogger that has done a review. Every feeder is going to have a few unhappy people that refuse to follow directions or are just OCD types or give low reviews over styrofoam packaging or for instructions that are too long or too short. But even then the reviews ought to be in the 90% range for the top rating. If the positive rating percentage is lower, pay close attention to the negative reviews because for light rodent problems almost any treadle feeder will work at first and people rarely revisit old reviews once problems start happening.

On the roof, some simple plywood sheets set on top with the center blocked up a few inches so they drain will last a long time. If you are going to the trouble of a roof you will regret not making it tall enough to walk into eventually but what you have will get you by till you find out if chicken math changes your plans.

 

[HyperCello]

If you are going to the trouble of a roof you will regret not making it tall enough to walk into eventually but what you have will get you by till you find out if chicken math changes your plans.

Luckily, I can crawl into it...LOL. That's why I have the larger run attached to it as well, but that will be their place to stay dry (and the area I'll winterize as well). I'm only allowed up to 6 chickens, so no worries on chicken math...LOL. I'm doing a lot of learning as I go (even though I felt like I did a lot of learning before actually getting the chicks...LOL).

 

[Al Gerhart]

Trust me, you won't crawl in it the second time. Chicken poo smells really bad once your knees are covered with it. Frog march maybe? : )