Do you leave feed down at all times?

Do you leave food down at all times or pick it up?I just got my first two chickens. I'm still learning. I have a feeder that I have just been leaving down. IT's been 3 days and they haven't eaten it all.Do I need to change out the food every day. Should I get a smaller feeder so they eat all the food and have room for fresh feed every day? I've also noticed a bunch of flies. The run that's attached to the coop is just grass. I've cleaned out the coop but not the run since it's grass. How wold I go about doing that? Is that the only way to get rid of the flies?

Hello! The feed is okay for quite a while, mine sits in the feeder for about 3 days before it all gets eaten. Sorry, I don't have fly problems, so I have no suggestions. I am sure somebody else will help soon.

Have fun!

You could hang some fly traps..The sticky tape kind. It can be found at your local feed store, or online.

We leave feed out at all times excepting after they roost and coop door is closed the feed is taken to a shed. Don't leave your feed out at night to bring in more pests and predators. Seriously think about rodent control. We use tamper proof bait boxes and chunx bait right in the run. Take them away if baby chicks are about but as soon as they are bigger than the hole the boxes go back in run. You don't want the nightmare of being overrun by rats. Even chipmunk suck when huge population boom due to your feeding them or allowing them to overpopulate.

We don't have the fly problems this far North as you all do but if they get out of hand clean the coop then spray with premethrin 10 solution. Did my flock and coops today. First non raining day I had free to do so. Mine was a mite/lice problem but permethrin is used for all insects. Dosage for poultry is much lower than solution strength for flies around premis. Read the directions to not overdose the birds or if only for flies kick the birds out of coop for the day and spray that, let dry and replace bedding before letting them back in.

If your coop with outside run is to remain in place you do not have to worry about the grass. The chickens will eat and scratch it all away.

When the grass is almost all gone, it's time to think about converting that run to Deep Litter. That will provide a much healthier environment.