We have several Americanas and Orpingtons and we have one small chick (Mary) that when feeding she pecks at the feeder and then seems to get frustrated, jumps up and then grabs some with her foot and puts it on the floor. She then eats the food from the floor. Can she be color blind, confused??
Sounds like you have a pesky eater. Some birds would rather scratch feed all over, waste twice as much as the other birds, and eat off the dirty floor, than just eat out of a clean feeder. That's just life with chickens.
How old is chick? How high off floor is feeder? The scratching with feet is instinctual, can be quiet frantic and comical with young chicks. I have a couple older birds that take a mouth full out of feeder, they can't scratch or bill it out, then put it on floor to peck and eat.
Hi, welcome to BYC! I have a Lavender Am who thinks he MUST stand in the food, scratch it, and then eats it off his feet. And another, can't remember which breed since I have (not) too many. Anyways, that one will peck the food out of the bowl and then eat it off the ground every time. At first I thought it was looking for something good, but doesn't matter. Of course they never get it all up. I use fermented feed and am in the process of upgrading my feeders from bowls that are easy to stand in and tip, to something more stable and back height for less waste. It's quite adorable to see chicks do what comes naturally! But with 48 of different ages, it might be taking a bite out of my wallet. I have never heard of a color blind chick, but anything is possible. Still that doesn't take away contrast. And I see chickens confused all the time! if I corner them, they seem to forget they know how to fly. And they never seem to be able to figure out how to get back to where they were, on the other side of the fence. Best wishes with your flock!
