Best chicken feeder and waterer????

[BigBlueHen53]

A little off topic, but we keep the cats away from our chicks till they are about 8 weeks old and look more like chickens than baby birds. One of our cats is quite the hunter, but she has never gone after any of our chickens in 11 years.

 

[TropicalBabies]

In looking for decent photos of my coop and run I realized I pretty much only have photos of cats anywho, take what ya need and leave the rest

 

[TropicalBabies]

A little off topic, but we keep the cats away from our chicks till they are about 8 weeks old and look more like chickens than baby birds. One of our cats is quite the hunter, but she has never gone after any of our chickens in 11 years.

Staying off subject- sorry! Forest is terrible! He thinks the chickens are all his. I catch him napping in fhe middle of the run or on top of the coops. He chases the chicks for fun and even chases the big ones. Such a little stinker.
BUT, I befriended him when he was about 4-5 months old when he came poking around my chicks in the brooder up Koke'e where we have many native species of birds. I figured it was my duty to get him fixed and off the mountain minimum. He is so much more. Just an angel. He never hurts any of them. Just wants to play (so far)

 

[TropicalBabies]

A little off topic, but we keep the cats away from our chicks till they are about 8 weeks old and look more like chickens than baby birds. One of our cats is quite the hunter, but she has never gone after any of our chickens in 11 years.

Was going through my photos and deleting excess and found these.

Forest has his arm through the puka where the heat lamp normally goes, feeling around for chicks. Such a character. K. Done hi-jacking your thread. Sorry! could not help.

 

[Gearhead846]

Sweet! Thanks for the photos

 

[HomesteadDeb]

We have hanging metal feeders and waterers for free feeding (similar to this https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=a523e57e-1240-47e3-ace2-d3ff7d46790b&itemguid=8a4d2dfe-f2fd-4d87-a3be-12ffa4a97e35&sfb=1&grp=6000&grpc=6300&grpsc=63A0&sp=f&utm_content=47736&ccd=IBSF0001&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=FCAT Livestock Equip Supp (6000) HGPM Smart PLA (IBSF0001)&utm_term=4585100931908688).

But we also have several bowls and plates (heavy ceramic/stone plant pot saucers) as well as a repurposed rabbit hutch feeder that I hung up in the enclosed run. The birds all have their favorites, so they all end up eating at the same time without squabbles. The "rabbit" feeder gets filled in the morning (more so than the bowls and plates) and eventually emptied by the end of the day. The hanging feeders always have food available, but sometimes need a little jiggle to get the food to slide down.

None of these would prevent sparrows, but we haven't had a problem with other birds mooching off of the chicken feed.

If I can find a way to keep weather off of the hanging feeder in the run (wire cover, no solid roof), I'll be moving those out of the coops...no need to feed sleeping birds or encourage rodents.

Have you see those wide plastic baffles you can put over bird feeders to keep squirrels out? Maybe that would be enough to keep the majority of rain off the feed.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Sweet! Thanks for the photos

Hows that cat?!

 

[HomesteadDeb]

Staying off subject- sorry! Forest is terrible! He thinks the chickens are all his. I catch him napping in fhe middle of the run or on top of the coops. He chases the chicks for fun and even chases the big ones. Such a little stinker.
BUT, I befriended him when he was about 4-5 months old when he came poking around my chicks in the brooder up Koke'e where we have many native species of birds. I figured it was my duty to get him fixed and off the mountain minimum. He is so much more. Just an angel. He never hurts any of them. Just wants to play (so far)View attachment 2926451

I wish my run was a little bigger and I could put an area for one of my barn cats to stay inside at night. I keep them in the shed at night because owls and coyotes are a problem around here, and the chicken run is predator proofed so the only way a cat could be in is if I put them there.
I do have ONE tiny ground squirrel that dug a hole under the goose house (now the turkey house) and sneaks out to steal their food since it was in open containers until yesterday, and would love for them to catch him, but my cats seem more interested in stealing the bird food themselves!
Here's Shed Cat and Loosey have a discussion over breakfast.

 

[TropicalBabies]

I wish my run was a little bigger and I could put an area for one of my barn cats to stay inside at night. I keep them in the shed at night because owls and coyotes are a problem around here, and the chicken run is predator proofed so the only way a cat could be in is if I put them there.
I do have ONE tiny ground squirrel that dug a hole under the goose house (now the turkey house) and sneaks out to steal their food since it was in open containers until yesterday, and would love for them to catch him, but my cats seem more interested in stealing the bird food themselves!
Here's Shed Cat and Loosey have a discussion over breakfast. View attachment 2926705

I'm surprised the Loosey tolerates Shed Cat, being a big beautiful goose and all.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm surprised the Loosey tolerates Shed Cat, being a big beautiful goose and all.

Royalty can afford to tolerate a jester or two.