Throwing food vs. Using Feeders, what is best, and how much?

YardBirdCountry

In the Brooder
6 Years
Apr 27, 2013
50
4
48
I have been using feeders for my birds. They have the run of my backyard during the day, and are cooped up at night. I have one hanging feeder in the coop, and 2 feeders positioned in different spots in my backyard.

The feeder method I have been using is good because I do not have to worry about feeding them as much during the day, and, in theory, I can leave full feeders and drinkers and go out of town for a while (so long as I have someone to open/close the coop at night for predator protection).

However, because of rodents, or whatever, the feeders are usually knocked over when they are left out of the coop. I started taking the feeders in and out everyday and sometimes the birds knock them over or poop in them.

I am thinking I am going to start just throwing out an amount of food every day and stop using the outside coop feeders. That is, I will throw feed, and whatever scraps or treats I have that day in the same spot. I will keep the hanging feeder full in the coop.

I have 5 birds, about how much feed do you think I should throw everyday? I also usually throw about 3 or 4 cups of vegetable, fruit, and meat scraps out every 3 days or so.

Thanks!
 
alright so the feeder I use is the normal plastic feeder at tractor supply but if you don't have one near you get the 7 pound hanging feeder and get a double sided metal clip and along chain so that the feeder hangs about two feet from the ground and get a hook that can hang from the ceiling of the coop and leave a minnie door or your big ones open so the chickens can get two it and it should work good luck!
 
I use the metal feeders, around 5 gallon I would guess. I place a plastic bucket over mine to keep rain out of the one outside. I found by doing that it keeps the birds off the feeder and it does not tip over.

However, I also throw food for mine, a mixture of wild bird seed, oats, and ground corn. It is a treat but it keeps them deeply devoted to me. They follow me everywhere, walking behind me like my personal army. We also use the mixture for Chicken TV time.

I throw it at different times of the day, so they never learn a time, that way I can assure my self of adoration and worship from my chickens at all hours of the day.
 
I like having the adoration of my chickens, but I have one, a pretty aggressive hen, that thinks she can "summon" me whenever I am home. She is the only one that can fly over my deck fence. She does so, and then goes up the the door and goes "CAW CAW CAW CAW CAW CAW CAW CAW CAW CAW...." over and over until I am come out. Sometimes the summoning ceremony includes a poop on the deck offering! Even if sometimes I get annoyed and just roughly scoop her up and assist her in rapidly flying off my deck down in the yard, if she is tired of the feeders, and wants a treat, she feels as if she can demand it!
 
my fenced area run is about 50x100 and i throw food or scratch in different places as then they scratch up the ground good in that area then i do another..and you can clearly see how good they turn the old grass ect..i do keep a feeder in the coop on a brick and they never knock it over but it does get empty....jeff
 

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