I had a problem with potty training but I'm going to tell you what I did and maybe it can work for you, too.
When I got Chloe, I was given a crate but I only kept her in there for 2 days because I felt it's too small and I felt guilty keeping her there. I got her a play pen which I set up in a square shape which had her potty tray, her bed, food/water bowl and some toys. I kept her in the pen for 2 months when I wasn't home and at bedtime. She would also have a pee pad in the living room when I was home so she could go potty there.
In her pen she would always pee on the pad but not always on the pad in the living room.
At 5 months I decided to let her be without a pen completely and as soon as I did that she became much calmer and goes to potty all by herself on her potty pad in the living room. This happened all at around 5 months, it just takes some practice for your baby until they learn to associate the pad with potty. I also gave her treats a couple of times when she went potty on her pad.
About the free feeding, I do fill Chloe's bowl with 1/4 cup of her dry food in the am and she eats that portion throughout the day when she gets hungry. She doesn't eat at night but I do leave a little amount of dry food during the night just in case.. and she does have water all the time.