Help - Chickens scattering feed from hanging feeder

[AllChookUp]

I'm not sure if this is a "learned" group behavior or not. Within the last month, the chickens have started to dig out and scatter around the feed from my hanging feeder - It's a Littel Giant 40-lb, 17" pan feeder. The feeder has 3 holes for changing the feed flow gap on the tray bottom, and I already have it set to the smallest gap. I've tried larger gaps, but as you'd expect, they're doing the same thing regardless of the gap.

The feed winds up depleted from the feeder quickly, laying all over the floor of the run (and ticking me off with the cost of wasted feed). This never happened in the past when I just had Wyandottes and Orpingtons. In the last year after introducing Red Stars to the flock, their habits seem to have changed.

I removed the feeder in the hopes of the chickens eating the feed that's spread all over the floor.

Before I drill another set of holes to make the feeder tray gap even smaller, has anyone else experienced this?
Any remedies?


Thanks for any input!!

 

[AllChookUp]

.

 

[RaeRae2]

Mine are doing this too, from the exact same feeder that you have. I too have tried the smallest and the largest gap setting and it makes no difference. I hung it up a couple inches higher and that didn't help either.

They can't get their feet in to scratch, but they take their beak and flip the feed out all over the place. I can fill up the feeder and 4 days later, it is totally empty, with a 1" layer of feed laying on the concrete. So frustrating!

I was wondering if they're flipping the feed out because the feeder is too high and they feel they can't eat comfortably out of it? I was going to try lowering my feeder about 2" and see if that helped. That way they could bend over to eat but still not get their feet into it.

My breeds are Silver Hamburgh, Dark Brahma, Light Brahma, Dark Cornish, Easter Egger, Ancona, Wyandotte, and Leghorn/Production Red cross.

 

[AllChookUp]

RaeRae - I have adjusted the height from as high as they could possibly reach to just barely off the ground - With the same result.
I should have said that in my initial post.


Not sure what the heck causes this behavior. My chickens are allowed out to range almost daily, but this has never been a problem in the past.

 

[lukieseggs]

my chickens have done this to. i took the feeder out for a while and just feed them by hand. when i put the feeder back in they no longer wasted the feed.

 

[Back2MyRoots]

Our chicks all seem to do this when we first move them outside. Not sure why. So I take the feeders out of the coop until they eat the scattered feed (they will eventually eat it---they aren't stupid and they are not going to starve themselves), then I put it back. It takes a few tries, but they eventually catch on.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/588292/ideas-for-no-or-low-waste-chick-feeders
see post #3.

I use a black rubber fortex tub under my 12 lb feeders- I don't even hang them anymore. Works GREAT!