I was dealing with the same issue and finally just put down a brick with a 6-inch diameter terra cotta plate (what you put under plant pots) on top of it. Then I placed a ramekin (some other squat, round container like a jar that's no taller than their backs would work too) in the center of the plate. I put the food in the ramekin and only fill 3/4 of the way high, so when they peck through their food it doesn't spill over the edge as much. The plate catches whatever falls out and is just big enough for them to stand on the edge while they eat, so they poop into their shavings and not in their food. I still get a few pine shavings in the dishes once in awhile, but I just fleck them out or dump whatever spilled out onto the plate into their shavings to let them scratch around for it. I am going through MUCH less feed this way. My 3 chicks are 3 weeks old so I'll switch to something taller that they can still reach into but can't spill out of, as they grow. I've given up on the feeder I bought from the store.
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