Beware: feeder and waterer handles! "PSA"

Wubba

Songster
Jun 22, 2022
58
145
103
Northwest Indiana
I came across an unanticipated danger when it comes to the small brooder feeders and waterers.
In the first picture, I have a set of small (blue) feeder and waterer. Notice the handles that form an arch on the top...a very common design. My chicks had started to perch on top of these handles.
The other day I was in the garage and spooked the chicks, the one that had perched on the feeder, in haste, attempted to dart away. It's toe got caught under the handle and it fell, toe bent backwards, stuck and dangling upside-down, unable to free itself. It started screeching and chirping in pain and fear. I unzipped the opening and snatched the bird upright as fast as I could, freeing its toe. Luckily, it didn't appear to be broken/ injured. My little Australorp is fine. But it was scary. I have switched the brooder feeder and waterer to styles that do not have handles on top (pic)... now they can perch, safely. After this experience, I do not recommend the style that has the handles on top.
 

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I came across an unanticipated danger when it comes to the small brooder feeders and waterers.
In the first picture, I have a set of small (blue) feeder and waterer. Notice the handles that form an arch on the top...a very common design. My chicks had started to perch on top of these handles.
The other day I was in the garage and spooked the chicks, the one that had perched on the feeder, in haste, attempted to dart away. It's toe got caught under the handle and it fell, toe bent backwards, stuck and dangling upside-down, unable to free itself. It started screeching and chirping in pain and fear. I unzipped the opening and snatched the bird upright as fast as I could, freeing its toe. Luckily, it didn't appear to be broken/ injured. My little Australorp is fine. But it was scary. I have switched the brooder feeder and waterer to styles that do not have handles on top (pic)... now they can perch, safely. After this experience, I do not recommend the style that has the handles on top.
I think I have the same set you show. The handle rotates up and down to the side in order to let the feeder be filled. You can rotate the handle to the side, put the top on, and put duct tape to keep the lid on. Sorry your chicken got caught in the handle.

Recommend using a glass quart jar instead of the plastic jar that came with your new feeder, it will be heavy enough for the chickens to perch on without falling over most of the time. Those plastic ones are too light, IMO.
 
Good psa.
The original feeders are better for grow out since they're bigger and harder to tip over.
I would have just put foil or something over the top to keep them from getting their tootsies caught. Chickens are good at putting themselves in ridiculous peril.
I considered using foil or tape, but the little rascals are so inquisitive, they've been pecking and trying to eat EVERYTHING new they see...didn't want to risk them ingesting it.
 
I came across an unanticipated danger when it comes to the small brooder feeders and waterers.
In the first picture, I have a set of small (blue) feeder and waterer. Notice the handles that form an arch on the top...a very common design. My chicks had started to perch on top of these handles.
The other day I was in the garage and spooked the chicks, the one that had perched on the feeder, in haste, attempted to dart away. It's toe got caught under the handle and it fell, toe bent backwards, stuck and dangling upside-down, unable to free itself. It started screeching and chirping in pain and fear. I unzipped the opening and snatched the bird upright as fast as I could, freeing its toe. Luckily, it didn't appear to be broken/ injured. My little Australorp is fine. But it was scary. I have switched the brooder feeder and waterer to styles that do not have handles on top (pic)... now they can perch, safely. After this experience, I do not recommend the style that has the handles on top.
Yes it happens. I had it happen to a 12 week old pullet. I found her hanging from the handle when I went I went in her coop. Now I fold the handle down and insert a gallon tin can upside down into the top of the feeder. This should put a stop to injured legs and feet. When the feeders are hung up it shouldn't be a problem which most of mine are. The waterers need to be hung up to keep the handle straight up so that there is now way for a leg or foot to get caught.
 
Very lucky for your chick that you were there and paying attention when it happened! Chicks absolutely can kill themselves from getting their toes caught in things, as they panic so badly.
The same goes for day old chicks getting their feet caught in 1/2" hardware cloth flooring. Some commercial brooders actually use hardware for the bottoms of their brooders.
 
The same goes for day old chicks getting their feet caught in 1/2" hardware cloth flooring. Some commercial brooders actually use hardware for the bottoms of their brooders.
I use 1/2" hardware cloth as the floor in my brooder and grow-out coop and never had a problem. I'm not commercial either. To me the ease of keeping the brooder clean and with it staying really dry to reduce risk of diseases is well worth it. My brooder is in the coop and it and the grow-out coop are elevated so the poop falls through to be raked out. Any spilled water goes straight out. That makes brooding them so much easier.

I agree that chicks can be inventive is finding ways to hurt themselves. No matter what you do there will be some risk. I minimize risk by using furring strips to attach the hardware cloth. That covers the sharp edges to help keep them safer and give them fewer opportunities to hurt themselves. I will warn of one particular risk of using a wire floor. Due to the manufacturing process some wire mesh can have sharp little spikes that can cut the chicks feet if they walk on it. Those will all be on one side so make sure you install the wire with those spikes down if your wire has it. There is always some risk no matter what. You need to look for ways to minimize it.

Those blue feeders and waterers are made to be hung. If you hang them that should keep chicks form perching up there, pooping in the feed and water below. That is more likely to keep them from hooking their feet up there, but some may still find a way. I use the red waterers and a homemade feeder. With the red waterer I have something above them to keep chicks from perching up there to start with, not to protect them from getting hung up but to stop them pooping in the water so much and to keep them from knocking it over. They still poop in the water. Feed too.
 
I use 1/2" hardware cloth as the floor in my brooder and grow-out coop and never had a problem. I'm not commercial either. To me the ease of keeping the brooder clean and with it staying really dry to reduce risk of diseases is well worth it. My brooder is in the coop and it and the grow-out coop are elevated so the poop falls through to be raked out. Any spilled water goes straight out. That makes brooding them so much easier.

I agree that chicks can be inventive is finding ways to hurt themselves. No matter what you do there will be some risk. I minimize risk by using furring strips to attach the hardware cloth. That covers the sharp edges to help keep them safer and give them fewer opportunities to hurt themselves. I will warn of one particular risk of using a wire floor. Due to the manufacturing process some wire mesh can have sharp little spikes that can cut the chicks feet if they walk on it. Those will all be on one side so make sure you install the wire with those spikes down if your wire has it. There is always some risk no matter what. You need to look for ways to minimize it.

Those blue feeders and waterers are made to be hung. If you hang them that should keep chicks form perching up there, pooping in the feed and water below. That is more likely to keep them from hooking their feet up there, but some may still find a way. I use the red waterers and a homemade feeder. With the red waterer I have something above them to keep chicks from perching up there to start with, not to protect them from getting hung up but to stop them pooping in the water so much and to keep them from knocking it over. They still poop in the water. Feed too.
I built a small platform for the waterers and feeds to sit on to keep shavings out of them and had some of the smaller chicks feet get caught. They might be the exception but I will always wait from now on until they are a week old before putting it in ever again. Especially if I ever get bantams. Fishing a leg out of an opening in the wire wasn't pretty. I know about the sharp spikes and deal with those with furring strips like you say. I use furring strip putting the hardware cloth on doors and vents also. After a week the feeders and waterers do get hung with a chain that can be gradually raised as the chicks grow. And yes poop they will in anything and everything. Some days I think that pooping is what they were hatched for. :) Nothing is fool proof but I keep trying. I hate to loose a chick because I missed something I should have seen and didn't.
 

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