Brooder feed/water systems?

[PhantomSlayer]

Anyone figure out how to prevent bedding in water and feed spillage? If so please share ideas. It seems since my 6 chicks reached around 3 weeks old the food is being spilled daily and its only taking a few hours before the waterer is clogged with bedding.

I put them on blocks from our old wood stove but its not helping and I don't want to raise them to high with blocks incase they get knocked over I don't want them hurting a chick.

I plan on doing alot more hatching next year so getting it figured out before I have more than 6 trouble makers would be helpful.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I use a wire cooling rack (like the kind for cookies, etc) elevated a little on wood blocks or whatever I have lying around. I put extra paper towels under the bedding beneath it but the holes help keep whatever the chicks drag onto it from staying on. It still has to be changed often but it helps when they're too little to have a raised waterer.

 

[ella2025]

Ive had 2 types of chick feeders, and the generic round quart size ones with oval holes just spill so much. The entire bottle of feed is on the floor within 2 hours. The following photo is those bad feeders.

I switched to one of these feeders:

and it was both bigger and never spills! It made my life so much easier. As they grow older they'll figure out ways to spill it, and when they start doing that, I like to hang my feed as high as they can reach. You can use a plank of wood or a string, depending on how your brooder is set up.

As for waterers, it's very hard to not get shavings in it. Id recommend making one of those little table things with hardware cloth and putting your waterer on it, or get a waterer with adjustable legs. It's not 100% foolproof but it's much better. Just elevating everything will prevent spilling and wood shavings getting everywhere. I've seen people use nipple and cup waterers, and I've never used those for chicks but I believe they do work.