chickens emptying feeder

[Headcock]

My chickens are scooping out ALL the feed, this thing holds 16 lbs. I have pellets in it,
they scoop ALL the food out, I think they are looking for scratch....Its been a week now
and they still are doing it. I take away the feeder, and let them eat off the ground, but
this is getting old now! As far as scratch, I give my hens a cup worth once a day, and I
scatter it around their run. I don't mix it or throw it in their feed.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Is your feeder on the ground or do you have it hung up? If on the ground, that's your problem. Chickens are natural scratchers and will scratch around in anything they can get their feet into. Hang your feeder and I promise it will help!

 

[newchicksnducks]

If you are unable to hang it, place it on concrete blocks about the same diameter of the base of the feeder. Not as good as hanging, but better than having it at ground level.

 

[Headcock]

thanks, I'll give it a try.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Mine knocked my feeder over twice when it was on a cinder block. I made them eat off the ground, but it still annoyed me. The feeder hangs on a chain from the rafter now - save yourself the annoyance and just hang it up to start with.

 

[Headcock]

Well hanging it off the ground didn't work,
they emptied 16lbs of pellets from the feeder, then they poop & pee
all over the pellets on the ground...And they won't eat it!

 

[elmo]

You might try one of the trough type feeders:

http://www.randallburkey.com/PLASTIC-FLIP-TOP-FEEDER-20/productinfo/10835/

I think the cover makes it harder for the chickens to bill out feed.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Well hanging it off the ground didn't work

Did you hang it high enough?
It should be at least level with the top of their backs​

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Oh ya I have all my feeders and waterers on concrete blocks and that really does the trick...especially for the older birds. Sometimes the little chicks will jump up there and still scratch some but not like they did before.

 

[cparian]

After using store bought feeders & making one myself from a cleaned out cat litter bucket that I could hang on the wall, I still had the same problem as your having. I finally found the perfect chicken feeder with virtually no waste. I was driving by the local candy store & they had jelly bean dispensers laying out for the garbage. They are clear acrylic with 3 compartments, a lid on the top & a lid with a magnet over the area where the feed comes out the bottom. They are big enough to hold an entire 50lb bag of feed & I can see thru them to see when they are getting low. I keep one compartment filled with oyster shell & the others with feed. The base where the feed comes out is very long & this helps with the chickens not knocking the feed everywhere. Plus with the magnetic lid over the feed area I can quickly close it when I go into the area to work without the goats getting into the feed while I'm in there. I have it set on top of a wood base with 2x4 on the bottom for "legs". I will try to get pics later but right now I'm supposed to be working.