Your happy flock of backyard chickens do not need to have food and water in their chicken coop at night, but they do need them during the day to live . So they need to go somewhere. Some people prefer to have their feeders and waterers inside the chicken coop.
When it comes to their daily feed ration it should always be outside of the coop but it can be in the run. They may be many reasons you need to keep the food under cover, it stops the wild birds helping themselves and keeps it dry and mould free. My chickens have an open coop leading to a secure run.
You may be wondering “Can I use a Waterer inside my chicken coop?”
One answer is, a waterer inside the coop provides easy access for the first drink of the morning and also makes it easier to keep it from freezing in cold weather. On the down side, drips and spills that dampen bedding require a greater degree of litter management.
Should chicken coops be off the ground?
Elevate your coop. As discussed above, chicken coops should be raised off the ground at least 8 to 12 inches to prevent predators, keep the wood from rotting, and allow space for the chickens to fit beneath. Most chicken owners build legs of the coop or any boards that come into contact with pressure-treated lumber.
The next thing we asked ourselves was is a raised chicken coop right for You?
A raised coop may also be warmer in the winter (although I don’t know if it will be enough to be noticeable). If your coop floor is in contact with the cold ground, heat will be drawn away from your coop, particularly if it has no floor. A raised coop doesn’t have this problem. However, this is really a minor benefit.
A coop off the ground has increased air circulation underneath it. Not only does this help to keep the floor dry, but it may also help to regulate the temperature within the coop. The increase of airflow in the summer may help to keep the coop floor cooler.
One of the next things we wondered was how high off the ground should a chicken coop be?
Most sources suggest 1 foot off the ground as the ideal, but 8-10 inches is probably enough. I know of a chicken keeper who had his coop only 4 inches off the ground. He had rats nesting underneath that then chewed through the floor. But what about 5 inches or 6 inches off the ground? Honestly, I’m not sure what the cut-off is.
Why do you keep your chickens’food under cover?
They may be many reasons you need to keep the food under cover, it stops the wild birds helping themselves and keeps it dry and mould free. My chickens have an open coop leading to a secure run. I make exceptions in bad or snowy weather when I do feed inside but otherwise they are never fed in the coop and nothing is in there overnight.
How do I protect my chicken coop from predators?
Protection from predators Raising your coop even just one foot from the ground should help make it harder for things like rats to burrow or eat their way into the coop through the floor.