Food and Water

[Sue]

Is it ok to leave food and water down overnight in an enclosed secure run? I will be having an automatic pop hole in my new hen house/run and wondered whether it would be ok to leave the food and water out overnight so that it is there for them when they come out in the morning. They will obviously be up a good few hours before me in the summer months with the lighter morning and if I don't leave it down they won't have anything to eat or drink when they come out. Rats and mice won't be able to get into the run as it will be on a concrete base with weldmesh on the run.

 

[daniellesdogs]

water yes but id leave the food rats and mice will do damage tryng to get to it
could hang a cabbage from the top to keep them entertained

 

[Anonymous]

mine have an automatic feeder that they have to stand on before the food pops up. its great for keeping rats out.

if you do leave food out overnight its a good idea to put rat poison down incase you do get any visitors! obviously somewhere where the chickens or any other animals or children cant get to!

hanging the feeder up is another good way to stop rats eating it as they cant reach it but the hens will. xx

 

[dawn]

I leave water out in the run when I leave the popo hole open on warmer nights, but not food because of rats and mice. The chickens scratch around in the dirt/grass for food when they get up and haven't starved yet in the time it takes me to get up and let them out .

Some mornings they just wander out past the food, don't even glance at it and head for their favourite tree, other times they fall over themselves and each other to get to the food. No logic, but then they are chickens.

 

[victorias poultry]

I keep my feeders out in the runs, but I do have traps around the enclosures for any unwanted 4 legged visitors