Hi another question!!!
I started with my chooks putting the feeder and a small water container in the house.
It is pretty cramped in there and when I put them to bed there is a fair bit of squabbling as all the girls are camped round the feeder and for the last couple of days the water thingy was tipped over.
I don't remember before when I had hens that I left food and water in the house. It would certainly give them a bit more space and possibly stop squabbles.
What do you think?
I shut them up about 8ish at the moment and let them out about 6am.
Advice please!
Old Bird
;)
i dont have any food or water in my hen house, mine is out side.water is in a large water feeder thingy and the food is in 3ft piece of guttering screwed just high enough of the floor so the girls can get to it. i have a roof over my run, so the food doesnt get wet.
I leave my food and water containers outside - they go to bed at about 9pm and I fish them out at about 6am - and they are fine. I am sure they would soon get use to it and eat/drink as much as they need.
One thing - don't leave you food outside overnight - i did and have a little rat problem now!!!!!!
Gill.
Thanks both Patrick and Beanie!!
I will try and leave the feeder and water thingy outside tonight - as they do take up a fair bit of valuable floor space!
Unfortunately Beanie I only have a tiny shed on the lottie and haven't space to store them inside overnight - although they are not accessible from the ground as they are all hanging about 15 inches off ground!
I have to physically "put" them to bed as I cannot leave them out overnight and the nights at the moment are so light that they would ideally prefer to be out to 9ish - even 10ish as last night was still light!
Thanks - much appreciated!
Old Bird
;D
our feeders and drinkers are in the run, the coop is for sleeping as far as I'm concerned.
Ours go to bed at dusk and then are up at about 7.30am. In the winter that meant they went to bed at about 4.30pm/5pm and up at 8am and they were fine.
Now, the dirty stop outs aren't going to bed til 9pm! ;D
They'll be fine overnight without access to food/water. They'll have a store of food to see them thru the night in their crops.
yeah aslong as you have the food an water of the floor it will stop rats getting to it. i am able to leave my girls to go to bed when they like. i went down the lottie one night at 11pm cause i left my wallet in there and they were still out eating. they are lazy birds as they dont get up till bout 8am. but its all fun talking and watching them when they do get up.