[adi]

after reading a few posts i'm not sure if i'm doing things wrong. at the mo i'm keeping the food and water under the coop ( i raised it 2' off the ground so the girls would have somewhere to shelter in the rain). Should i be providing food and water or at least just water inside the coop at night? i read chickens need access to water at all times and at the mo they are going 8 hours without.
any advice would be helpful, i've only been doing this 2 weeks and find these pages really useful.

[Foxy]

hello adi

dont worry what you are doing is fine! chooks dont need water when roosting

[8doubles]

I have no water in the coop as its small and would get kicked over or filled with bedding in minutes. I think most birds are designed to go without a drink over the roosting period, in the wild its not safe to go looking for a drink at night with foxy about.
I`ve never known the chooks to dash to the water dish when let out even if i`m a bit late, they head straight for the grass.


PS not the above foxy 

[Foxy]

  did wonder doubles!

[adi]

well it's good to know i'm doing it right, they seem happy enough.

[karlooben]

mine have water an a small snack of a evening as i find it the easier way of getting them to bed , and they always have a drink  of water before they go to roost .

[janeheritage]

I love the idea of chickens having a snack. Makes me think of them putting their feet up in front of EastHenders!

[joyfull]

bit like a midnight feast 

[karlooben]

  it is like a midnite feast for them and i dont have any stress getting them to bed well except for kola the maran  she makes me mad as i always have to chase her for at least 5 mins  and the babes are slowly copying her  .