Chick Feeder question....probably stupid

[kuntrychick]

This is probably a stupid question from a chick newbie, but anyway here goes...

I have 1 month old chicks and they have one of those galvanized feeders that the quart size plastic bottle screws on top. Well, they were getting their shavings all in it, so I put it on a concrete stepping stone. Well, now I'm wondering about refilling it. See, if there's still a little left in the bottom of the feeder, but the jar is empty, I can't seem to just fill the jar up and screw it back on because the food falls out of the jar while it's upside down and then it won't screw on. I can't turn the feeder upside down to screw it on the jar when there's still some left in it because then that food falls out. What do you do? Just let them totally eat until it's totally gone? I seem to be wasting a lot of their starter/grower because of this.

I know I'm probably doing something wrong.....I'm stupid when it comes to stuff like that.

Thanks....

 

[joedie]

I'd get a different kind of feeder!

 

[rstampa]

Have you tried just pouring it out into the feed bag without turning it upside down? Just unscrew the feeder over the open feed bad and let it spill out into it. Then turn it upside down and fill it up. Then screw it back on to the bottom and turn it right side up. Bingo you feeder is ready to go. No mess and no waste.

 

[Judy]

There aren't any stupid questions here.

Put the leftovers on a paper plate or in a bowl or whatever, and fill the feeder with fresh feed. Bet they'll eat it up. Or mix it with a tsp or two of yogurt, put on paper plate, and watch them go to town....

 

[Ldyjarhead]

Quote:
That's what I was going to suggest. Have something underneath (feed bag, bucket) to catch the spillage when you turn it upside down, or do it outside or on bare floor where they can still eat it.

 

[spartacus_63]

Get rid of the plastic jar and get a QT mason type glass jar. Turn the filled jar quickly to minimize spillage and with the glass jar you should be able to tighten the jar to the feeder. I hold the setup over the feed bag when I do this because some will fall out no matter how fast you are. I have found that there is no good chick feeder. They all have issues.

Good luck

 

[teach1rusl]

Those types of feeders just do that...I had the quart jar kind (same thing). I just did what others have suggested, refilled it over the feed bag. A little of the old always got mixed with the new, but at least I wasn't wasting anymore. That wasn't a stupid question, just a stupid feeder

!!

 

[Chad the Chicken Man]

i had the same kind of feeder when i had my chicks and what i did was i always had my food in a 3 gallon bucket and when the feeder was almost empty or when i wanted to clean it i would just open it over the bucket and the food that is left in the jar will fall out and you still save the feed

 

[bibliophile birds]

i had that kind of chick feeder at first and i HATED it. the waterers too. i used the feeder for 3 days and was lucky enough to have a feed store that would let me exchange it even though it had been used (i washed it REALLY good... twice through the dishwasher). i got the trough kind instead. i like it so much better. plus, when my chicks got a bit bigger, they tipped the mason jar waterer over so i assume they could have done the same with the feeder.