When do chickens need to have access to food 24/7?

[Ann With A Plan]

My chickens are 10 1/2 weeks old now. I have 2 large feeders in the coup with a 5 gallon water container. They stay in the coup 24/7. I have seen different ones feeding their chickens after they let them out of the coup in the mornings.
Is this a preference thing? Or do most give them 24/7 access only when they're up to a certain age?

Thanks.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If your coop is dark at night chickens won't eat or drink. If you are running lights they will eat.

People pick up the feed in the evening sometimes to avoid feeding rodents. It just depends on your husbandry choices.

Feed and water should be available all day when birds are awake and active. Restricting feed can affect growth, health, and production.

 

[WallyG74]

From day 1 mine have access 24/7 to food and water.

 

[Jt and Chicks]

I feed my chickens in the morning after I let them free range a little while then I feed them enough that last them all day

 

[Danny188]

I would say have feed available till they are 16-18 weeks, then I did 1/4 of a pound per hen per day, and I filled it the night before. If you are trying to save money you can do this but they have to have a large range to pick for bugs. I was getting 18 eggs a day on average from mine late summer-fall out of 21 hens, half were RIR half were buff orpington, they were chicks that spring so less than a year old. But a bigger area is required if you want to ration feed, Mine is a hoop of around 250-300 ft of fence with 22 chickens but you can have less if you move the fence I use 3ft chicken wire as opposed to free ranging because I can keep them were I want them and can see them from the house, it's not secure to keep preditors out just chickens in, its a step up from free ranging. If they aren't laying well then you need to increase feed to see if that helps, my chickens have been lazyer lately don't know if it's the heat or because they have feed 24/7, because I need to get rid of old feed fast. Hope this helps!

 

[Ann With A Plan]

Yesterday, I set the 100' of fencing out from the back of the door about 12 feet and then directed the length towards the house so they have one oblong yard with the first 3rd under shade and the last 3rd under shade of a big oak tree.
They like that much better and are able to find worms once in awhile. The grandkids and I also feed them crickets as well. They're up on the roost by 8:30pm, but I don't know if they come down for food during the night. I might set a camera in there sometime, just for grins to see what they do, if anything. There's no light in there, but it's not completely dark, either.

 

[Danny188]

Yesterday, I set the 100' of fencing out from the back of the door about 12 feet and then directed the length towards the house so they have one oblong yard with the first 3rd under shade and the last 3rd under shade of a big oak tree.
They like that much better and are able to find worms once in awhile. The grandkids and I also feed them crickets as well. They're up on the roost by 8:30pm, but I don't know if they come down for food during the night. I might set a camera in there sometime, just for grins to see what they do, if anything. There's no light in there, but it's not completely dark, either.

If you are trying to save money then you can ration there feed, if money isn't a big deal for you then you can do 24/7 feed, they probably won't come down at night to eat unless its bright enough you could read a book in there. If they are laying eggs as they should with feed rationed then they are getting enough to eat, you just have to give them more is the winter so they can stay worm I do unlimited feed in the winter, but in the summer they can forage and it seems like your area is big enough to ration. By the size of the coop in your account picture I'm guessing you don't very many chickens so that size would be fine.

 

[Bear1978]

Mine are about 8 weeks old. They have water in the coop but not feed. They make a mad dash to the feeder in the run first thing in the morning and have access to it until I lock the coop up after they’re inside and roosting in the evenings. So far they’ve been fine.

 

[Bear1978]

Oh and why, at that age are they in the coop 24/7? Do you not have a chicken run for them to get out in?

 

[Danny188]

Oh and why, at that age are they in the coop 24/7? Do you not have a chicken run for them to get out in?

I think she meant feeders and waterers are in the coop 24/7