A question about crazy chickens or chicks i think 2months feeding habi

[ambermarie]

Okay, I have I guess what you would call a standard chicken feeder....white plastic top, with red ring thing where they eat from, and it hangs from top of coop tractor....I have been reading threads about different feeders, that the chickens can't use their feet & beaks to put the food everywhere!! So, I plan on getting or making one in the future, once I get some money, still have to buy then a big dog kennel for them to run in, and build new coop...but want to get the food bowl thing first, I think. Anyway, I was wondering...can I just leave the food container empty without keep filling it, so they will eat what they put all over the ground? Will they eat what they spread everywhere, without starving themselves? Just want to make sure, I don't want to refill their food thing again, for then to just dump 5 gallons of food everywhere.


Also in the future, do you think it would be fine, to not use a food bowl, and just throw their pellets/food (whatever the adult food is called) out to them on the ground for them to eat, or do they have to have it all the time? A lady I know owns a barn, and her chickens have free range of her entire property and barn (which is atleast 10acres), and she feeds the chickens the high protein grain she gives to her horses, once a day...She just throws a little on the ground...so is this okay?

THANKS EVERYONE! I have 6 chickens already (new to them), and already wanting to get more! But I have to wait until I build a barn/coop for them! But the waiting is KILLING ME! LOL

 

[nhnanna]

from NH/ME
Try putting the feeder on something so they have to reach a little to get the food like a brick or something. They don't waste as much.
Good luck with your chickens.

 

[rmelvin23]

Food on the ground attracts pests. I do make my chickens eat the food off of the ground before I refill the container. They enjoy scratching the ground and looking for the food. It keeps them entertained and out of trouble.