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.

 

[PhantomSlayer]

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.

View attachment 4191203I switched to one of these feeders:

View attachment 4191204 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.

I have a metal version of that first feeder with a similar water version as well.. But it uses mason jars.
Our brooder is made out of an old dresser. The front has doors with hardware cloth on the front and the top was cut out to be covered with hardware cloth for the heat lamp. Which I've stopped using heat lamps because I have a paranoia/anxiety thing about the fire risk.

Maybe for now I can crochet something to help suspend the feeder like you said until I can get a new feeder.

I would like to avoid nipple waterers because in winter they just drink from an plastic icecream bucket and during the summer they use a cup waterer. I gave 6 chicks to a broody hen this year and lost 3 out 6 to the icecream bucket alone while I was away so I fixed our old cup waterer to stop that because i would like to give broody hens chicks again if they go broody.

 

[PhantomSlayer]

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.
View attachment 4191177

I saw some people take a metal cake pan and put a cooling rack in it. Sounds like it might be worth trying.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I elevated my brooder floor and used 1/2" hardware cloth for the floor. The poop falls through. It is high enough I can clean it out when I need to. I use a heat lamp and put a piece of plywood under it to help hold in heat and give them a warmer place to sleep. My brooder is in the coop and I sometimes brood out there when the temperature is below freezing. If the poop builds up on that plywood I tilt it to clean it. It doesn't build up that much, kind of a surprise how little, but occasionally I have to dump it. In warm weather I do not use the board.

I do not use any bedding on it so no bedding to get in the water or food. I still have to clean the water and food though, they can and will poop in it. Also, I dump the water every two days to keep mosquito larva from maturing in it.

Some hardware cloth can have sharp bits on it from the way it is manufactured. Those can injure their feet. I think it is the galvanizing that does that. All of those sharp spikes should be on one side. Put on a glove or carefully drag a cloth over the sides to see if you have that. If you do have those, install the sharp points down to protect their feet.

I don't know if you can modify your dresser to use this idea. There is no bedding so no problems getting bedding in the water or feed. Mine is really easy to clean since it is elevated but if you are brooding in your house that may not work for you.

Good luck!