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[BroodyRoo]

How do you restrict feed flow to limit feed wastage?

I drilled the holes with a two inch hole saw, but I considered drilling smaller holes. The flock I have are pretty good, but the bunch of girls I used to have, would have turned their noses up if the grain touched the floor. In that case, I would have used a narrow diameter hole saw- something more like a one-inch and then would have drilled three or four, instead of the two holes I drilled.

 

[aart]

What keeps the rodents from feeding from the same place the chickens do?
2" hole seems huge, 1/2" would probably have worked.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Rat buffet in my opinion. But I bet it cost less than one of those hanging feeders that work in the same manner.

Monitor your feed usage closely. A quarter pound per bird per day and ignore the roosters as they eat little. When you find you are feeding more than that you have already began paying for an actual feeder that keeps the rats and wild birds out of the feed. You just don't have the feeder.

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

I never begrudge the wild birds food. In fact, I’d be thrilled if they ate chicken feed. It would save me a TON of money. Good wild bird food is expensive!

Plus, for some reason I do not have rats, squirrels, house sparrows, grackles, or starlings. I do have mice! And, I have lots of feed around because I have horses.

That’s why I’m interested in this feeder.

 

[aart]

I never begrudge the wild birds food. In fact, I’d be thrilled if they ate chicken feed. It would save me a TON of money. Good wild bird food is expensive!

Plus, for some reason I do not have rats, squirrels, house sparrows, grackles, or starlings. I do have mice! And, I have lots of feed around because I have horses.

That’s why I’m interested in this feeder.

Wild birds can bring mites and lice and disease.
The OP's feeder will not deter mice at all.

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

Thanks for your advice, Aart.