Cockerel is not eating enough

[Wyorp Rock]

He's had access to both the dog bowl (set on the ground) and a gravity chicken feeder like this

Since you have the flock party feeder, try that, but elevate it. My rooster can eat out of the flock party feeder o.k. Mine also got a bit of frostbite on his wattles this year, so he didn't eat as well as he normally does for a couple of weeks but now he seems to be chowing down.

I use pellets which may be a little easier to pick up out of the feeder, not sure. I used to use crumbles, but the feed I use doesn't offer that anymore.

I put the flock party feeder inside of a shallow metal feed dish, fits very well, this way if there's any billing/scooping, the feed dish catches the majority of any feed "spilled". I also like keeping the feeders up off the floor, so use platforms. Anything can be used to elevate, a block, piece of wood, etc. A few years back I bought some "chicken feed stands" off amazon, they were cheaper then, but looks like they still have them at around $8-9 each which isn't too awfully bad. The metal stands that I use will hold the water bowls and in summer holds a large 3gallon water station with no problem.

If you give him wet mash, he probably will love that! When I give mash, I still put a dish inside of the metal feed pan, put it on the stand(s) so the feed stays cleaner and it's not flung everywhere.
Nighttime, I pick up the pans along with the feeders and put them in a metal trash can.

Another thought, you can also just put a dish inside of larger dish and provide crumble free choice, it's open and he can have a deeper amount of crumble to "scoop". I have a pigeon that likes to fling her seeds about. I found a silicone slow feeder insert bowl like thing and I put that inside one of those metal pans, it keeps most of her seeds "together" LOL

Stand options...that rooster is about 8.5lbs or so, he has no issue eating from the feeders.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Since you have the flock party feeder, try that, but elevate it. My rooster can eat out of the flock party feeder o.k. Mine also got a bit of frostbite on his wattles this year, so he didn't eat as well as he normally does for a couple of weeks but now he seems to be chowing down.

I use pellets which may be a little easier to pick up out of the feeder, not sure. I used to use crumbles, but the feed I use doesn't offer that anymore.

I put the flock party feeder inside of a shallow metal feed dish, fits very well, this way if there's any billing/scooping, the feed dish catches the majority of any feed "spilled". I also like keeping the feeders up off the floor, so use platforms. Anything can be used to elevate, a block, piece of wood, etc. A few years back I bought some "chicken feed stands" off amazon, they were cheaper then, but looks like they still have them at around $8-9 each which isn't too awfully bad. The metal stands that I use will hold the water bowls and in summer holds a large 3gallon water station with no problem.

If you give him wet mash, he probably will love that! When I give mash, I still put a dish inside of the metal feed pan, put it on the stand(s) so the feed stays cleaner and it's not flung everywhere.
Nighttime, I pick up the pans along with the feeders and put them in a metal trash can.

Another thought, you can also just put a dish inside of larger dish and provide crumble free choice, it's open and he can have a deeper amount of crumble to "scoop". I have a pigeon that likes to fling her seeds about. I found a silicone slow feeder insert bowl like thing and I put that inside one of those metal pans, it keeps most of her seeds "together" LOL

Stand options...that rooster is about 8.5lbs or so, he has no issue eating from the feeders.

View attachment 4301195

View attachment 4301196

Thank you! Great ideas and I appreciate the photos.

 

[SourRoses]

Great points from everyone, especially about the wattles.
I've had a couple roos with really big straight combs. What I noticed is that they could manage to eat out of just about anything (sometimes standing sideways), but it took them a lot longer to "manage", and the distraction of others coming in would disrupt their extra effort. The nature of a good roo really isn't to focus on himself for prolonged periods. My best ever Roo wouldn't eat all afternoon - then he would herd the hens to bed and come back out of the coop to gorge himself alone before the pop door shut.

Reducing stress around feeders helps. I have 3-4 feeders for the big pen of 15 (# depends if I'm bleaching one). 2 feeders for the coop of 5. Some are more open style and on blocks or clipped to the fence, some with the guards, one with ports (not roo friendly).

This Fence Feeder is one I really like, surprisingly. The lowered front edge has a convex curve (not visible) which makes it very hard for them to bill feed out. While still being open and accessible to every chicken.
With these, I try not to fill them more than 1/3rd of the way full. So a small scoop each day, when I get around to it. And they can be raised or lowered on the fence to suit the chicken size.

 

[Nonafel]

This Fence Feeder is one I really like, surprisingly.

View attachment 4301246

Looks like it would be a good option for grit too