Automatic chicken feeders

[Farmer Peggy]

I bought a chicken feeder that the feed falls down as they eat it. Problem is this must be great fun because they seem to use their beaks to scratch out the food. Everyday they empty this thing and the food is being wasted. I have hung it a little higher thinking they were doing it with their feet but now I know it is their beeks. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[DukeDawg528]

Hang the feeder higher...

 

[lunatic]

Check out the last pic on this page: clicky

Notice how the chickens practically have to stick their head inside to get the food? Keeps them from throwing it around with their beak. We're going to build one of these, hopefully this weekend.

 

[OKbirdwatcher]

Farmer Peggy,

I have watched one of our RIRs sling food out onto the coop floor, but then she and a couple others just proceeded to eat it off the floor.

I've never noticed any food accumulating on the floor so I don't worry about it. I guess they just want to eat it the "chicken way".

 

[The Zoo]

I actually use old yogurt and cottage cheese containers in my coop - I wire them to the wall of the pen and under the coop so they're out of the rain. They're easy to fill and easy to replace as needed. The girls spill some but happily eat it off the ground. (I put oyster shells in a separate one)

 

[terri9630]

Don't clean up what they spill and don't refill the feeder until they eat what is on the ground. It won't hurt them.