Any waste free feeder ideas??

[jathall]

I just cleaned the run for the first time and Holy Cow what a mess!! The smell is unreal!! I shoveled it out and laid lime down then I poured some play sand over the top of the lime.. I feed my chickens with the 5 gallon homeade feeder and it seemed like SO much food was being wasted so I made a new one with smaller holes .. They still waste so much . I have the bucket up on blocks. I feel the worse of the smell is rotten food than the poop itself.. Is there any ideas you can share with me of feeders that you have found to be less wasteful??

 

[Deanner03]

I don't think "waste free" exists. But if you elevate it (ours hangs from the ceiling and is about 6" off the ground or so), you'll find much less mess. Good luck.

 

[Doodle_Doo]

Screw on a planter bottom to a new paint bucket and drill two holes..small enough so it doesn't release a lot yet big enough for some as they peck at it..hang it by a small chain to one of those iron rods that hold bird feeders at a hight to your birds breast bone that way they don't kick or scratch at it..all they can do it peck but won't spill it..keep the lid on it and done..its my best feeder no spill no mess and no wasted feed

 

[ADozenGirlz]

We JUST installed our new feeder and I assure you, there's a LOT less waste than ever before.
We used an irrigation pipe (like a PVC pipe, but easier to cut) and a high corner litter pan at Petco ($6) like this one http://www.amazon.com/Super-Pet-Ferret-Hi-Corner-Litter/dp/B0002ASBAY They are covered with PVC caps available in the plumbing section of The Home Depot or Lowes, so they're perfect for in the coop or out in a covered run.

We drilled a few holes in the pipe and zip-tied it to a post in the run and/or coop. It holds quite a bit of feed AND limits waste brilliantly! We made several smaller ones to hold oyster shell (see below) but we used larger PVC caps for the dish instead of the corner litter pan.

 

[TN_BIRD]

Quote:
Any particular reason why your feeder might limit waste? Do you think it's because it has protective sides, or is it because they can only access it from one side? Just curious, because I'm trying to tackle this issue myself.
Thanks.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Any particular reason why your feeder might limit waste? Do you think it's because it has protective sides, or is it because they can only access it from one side? Just curious, because I'm trying to tackle this issue myself.
Thanks.

I think that it may be due to the fact that the pan is deep enough to keep them from billing it out as easily as a regular feeder.

 

[Fred's Hens]

There is a somewhat different school of thought on feeding that is finding favor in some camps. It may not be either practical nor something you wish to do, but it is ration feeding as opposed to free choice. The thought process is this. Feed what they will eat within an hour. It takes close management to find the amount required, kind of a Goldilocks thing. Not too little nor not too much.

Not everyone's cup of tea. Essentially, it was instigated to provide protection of feed loss due to rodents, but the principle apply to other situations. Just something to contemplate.

 

[crj]

Quote:
I make my feeder out of 5 gallon buckets and screw a planter dish to the base. I also put it up on 2 concrete blocks only because it's too wide for just one. Her is a picture of one of them in the chicken pen. I should actually raise it on these birds because they scratch the food out of it at times.

 

[jathall]

Thanks for all the help!!! I like the PVC pipe Idea. I might try that out.. The other idea's are very similar to what I have now but I really appreciate the help!! And the idea of rationing the food I have thought of too! I just worried that the shy ones wouldn't ever get a chance to eat after the bullies got there's.. Thanks again for all the advice!!

 

[jathall]

@ Doodle doo ,yours is similar to mine but I like the idea of hanging it and your planter bottom isn't that much bigger than the paint pale which I bet helps.. Thanks for the picture !!