This is one of the most common questions asked by beginners, and it's a question that always surprises me. It seems like such a small thing.
When you've been raising chickens for a while, so many things become second nature. You forget that at some point you also had to figure out these little details, these little things... And you forget how frustrating it can be to find the right information.
So I'll answer this question for you as briefly as possible, and then we'll get into the nuances.
Should you store food and water inside or outside the chicken coop?Feed and water are best kept outside the garden as they can lead to unsanitary living conditions indoors. However, if chickens are reluctant to leave the coop for any reason (e.g. cold weather, fear, etc.), food and water should be kept in the coop.
In this article you will learn:
Why most chicken keepers don't leave food and water in their coops
When should you consider storing feed and water in your stable?
How to keep food and water safe at home
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When this happens within the company, the feed is mixed with the litter.
Over time, the wasted feed can encourage the growth of pathogens, including dangerous mold. Spilled water will also add fuel to this fire.
Wasted feed can also lead to increased insect and rodent activity on the farm. And just having food and water available in the garden can attract insects and rodents.
All bad things.
However, you can prevent most of these bad things from happening if you follow a few simple steps (described in detail at the end of this article).
Another good reason to keep food and water outside is because it encourages chickens to spend more time outside. The more time they spend outside, the less poop you get in your house. The less poop you get in your chicken coop, the easier it will be to keep it clean.
Why you should consider storing food and water in your chicken coop anyway
Clearly there are benefits to keeping only food and water in the race. But there are also some benefits to keeping food and water, especially water, in the garden.
Why I always have water in my chicken coop
Personally, I don't regularly keep feed in my chicken coop. (You'll see in the next section that I keep food in the garden under special circ*mstances.)
Still, I keep onesmall water containerin my large chicken coop in the shed. This is simply because chickens will drink more if they have more options to drink.
I've noticed this is especially true during bedtime. Chickens walk into the yard, find a comfortable place to sleep, and then noticevanderon the nest boxes. They jump over it, have a drink and then return to their resting position.
It doesn't matter that there is onelarger water tankjust outside the courtyard they could have had a drink before entering. Many pass by as the lights begin to dim around bedtime.
Ofsmall water containerin the coop is especially useful for chickens under extreme temperatures. Because both very hot and very cold weather is stressful for chickens, and because water is so important to daily functions, I like that they have the extra option to drink.
And I think it's especially important in the summer.
Temperatures here in southwestern Idaho are often in the 90s and 00s – miserably hot! Water is essential to prevent heat stroke (and also to ensure egg production), so I want the extravanderwithin the garden. Not only do the chickens appreciate bedtime, but I have also seen a chicken jump out of her warm nesting box while she was laying eggs, drink the water and jump back in.
Why it is necessary to keep food and water in the house during stressful periods
When your chickens are going through a period of high stress, they may be hesitant (or downright terrified) to leave the coop.
Increased stress can take the form of simple physical stress, but also traumatic emotional stress.
Chickens under physical stress should not leave the yard to get food and water.
Physical stress can take different forms.
One of the most common physical stressors is temperature.
If it isRealIf it is cold outside in your coop, some chickens prefer to stay in the yard when the yard is warmer. If food and water are available inside, they will consume more. Chickens really need these calories to stay warm. So if you notice that your chickens don't leave the coop often during the winter, consider feeding and watering indoors.
Additionally, if a chicken is injured, sick, or just not feeling well, she may be hesitant to leave the coop. Giving her some food and water in the garden during recovery will be much appreciated and is better for her health.
Chickens under emotional stress should not leave the coop to get food and water.
When chickens feel unsafe, they may hesitate to leave the coop.
A recent attack or scare from a predator is one of those things that will make your chickens feel unsafe. They may not want to leave the coop for days or even weeks afterwards.
But chicks can also feel insecure if they feel threatened by other flock members.
For example, I once had a rooster (Perly) who felt very insecure around another rooster (Rufio). If Rufio was outside during the race, Perly would stay in the yard and vice versa. Because Rufio spent most of his time outside, Perly stayed in the garden most of the day. I made sure Perly had food and water in the house until he and Rufio could figure it out together.
Another common situation that causes chicks to fear flock mates is integration.
Whenever you add new chickens to an existing flock, you will probably find that some of your chickens become very fearful of their new flockmates. This is a good time to put food and water in the garden for the chickens hiding there.
Chickens also feel insecure when a major change takes place in their lives.
For example, moving chickens to a new environment is often scary for them. So if you move chicks from the incubator to the coop, or if you move adult chickens to a new coop or run, they may be hesitant to leave the coop. They may choose to become dehydrated and malnourished rather than leave the safety of the farm for food and water.
You should do everything you can to ensure that your chicks eat and drink when they are under stress.
When chickens are under high stress, they need food and water more than ever to help them get through the tough times. And if they don't get enough food and water, they can have a meltdown, which is incredibly stressful for them. You don't want them to break down when they're also dealing with other stressors.
So even if you don't want to keep food and water in your coop permanently, I highly recommend that you be open to bringing it in temporarily when your chickens need it.
How to store food and water safely in your home
The key to keeping food and water safe in your chicken coop is preventing spills.
You do this by hanging upfeederInvanderor by putting them on itplatform,like itThis.The goal is to get the feed and water to the level of the chickens. You want it low enough so they can reach it, but too high so they can easily scratch it and make a mess.
Or you can use onefeederInwaters with legs attached.
You can also use onenipple water- these are less likely to leak or spill.
One more thing.
I have seen chicken keepers claim that you should never keep food and water in the coop because this attracts mice and rats. These zookeepers usually have dirt floors in their cages, allowing easy access for rodents.
This is not a problem I have ever had in my lofts. like youisIf you have this problem, I recommend installing a floor in your chicken coop, even if it is only one storyhardware cloth(deep under the bedding) to keep rodents out.
For more information on chicken coop floors, see my articles:
Does your chicken coop need a floor?
8 Chicken Coop Flooring Options: The Best Flooring Materials for Your Chicken Coop
Another thing you can do to keep conditions in your chicken coop clean is to change the bedding regularly. If you notice a lot of feed spillage in your bedding, but you change the bedding weekly, it is unlikely that this spill will have any adverse health effects.
