Food and water overnight?

[FlockinAround]

We just moved our nearly 7 week old chicks out to their coop and I wasn't sure if I am still supposed to put their food and water in there overnight or no? Do they always need access to food and water 24/7? Just the water? Total newbie and appreciate your help! Thank you!

 

[TwoCrows]

They should be sleeping all night and in the dark won't be eating or drinking. So they don't need these at night. If your coop isn't mouse proof, it's best to pick up all food and water so these don't get contaminated by mice.

Enjoy your new chicks!

 

[FlockinAround]

They should be sleeping all night and in the dark won't be eating or drinking. So they don't need these at night. If your coop isn't mouse proof, it's best to pick up all food and water so these don't get contaminated by mice.

Enjoy your new chicks!

Thank you so much! I believe it's mouse proof, but I don't want to tempt it! Thank you!

 

[rosemarythyme]

They don't ever need food and water around the clock, unless you have visible light (i.e. a red heat lamp) on that keeps them up.

 

[Debbie292d]

We just moved our nearly 7 week old chicks out to their coop and I wasn't sure if I am still supposed to put their food and water in there overnight or no? Do they always need access to food and water 24/7? Just the water? Total newbie and appreciate your help! Thank you!

We keep our food/water in our coop 24/7 but they're sleeping at night. We just leave it as for one, the water is a 5-gallon nipple waterer, and that'd be silly to haul out, and two, the feeder is too heavy as well. We have cats and dogs that go in and out of the coop during the day looking for chipmunks that go in there, so it's pretty rodent safe too. With your little ones, you probably have smaller versions that are easier to remove and replace daily, though if you wanted to, but without a good reason, I wouldn't bother.

 

[Perris]

Personally I think fresh food and water every morning is a good reason.

Containers that hold more than the flock requires per day are for the convenience of the keeper full stop.

 

[Perris]

We keep our food/water in our coop 24/7 but they're sleeping at night. We just leave it as for one, the water is a 5-gallon nipple waterer, and that'd be silly to haul out, and two, the feeder is too heavy as well. We have cats and dogs that go in and out of the coop during the day looking for chipmunks that go in there, so it's pretty rodent safe too. With your little ones, you probably have smaller versions that are easier to remove and replace daily, though if you wanted to, but without a good reason, I wouldn't bother.

if chipmunks are in there, it isn't rodent safe.

Rodents are going in to eat the food and possibly drink the water. They may contaminate either or both while there.

Depending on your feeder design, typical humidity and temps etc., uneaten feed is going stale and may be going mouldy.

 

[Debbie292d]

if chipmunks are in there, it isn't rodent safe.

Rodents are going in to eat the food and possibly drink the water. They may contaminate either or both while there.

Depending on your feeder design, typical humidity and temps etc., uneaten feed is going stale and may be going mouldy.

It's a nipple waterer, so I suppose rodents could learn to push the metal rod, but I doubt they're thirsty as we have a creek behind our house that stays open all winter. As for them being in there, they become eliminated. I didn't want to spell that out. The remaining chipmunks must've learned to stay over by the outdoor bird feeders as I don't see as much of them over by the coop anymore. I also locked the doors on the coop for four straight days to break four broody hens (which worked) so perhaps that dissuaded them as well.

I can assure you their food is not going stale or moldy.