Crows eating food

[carolwfuller]

Hello-I have an eglu and 6 free range chickens placed nicely in a grassy woody area. This is the second year for the coop but a new place on my property. Crows are eating all their food. Any ideas how to keep them out without scaring the chickens? They are eating organic layer feed. The crows leave all the grit behind
Thanks for any ideas.
My only idea is to keep them in the run for the morning so they eat sufficiently of the layer feed and then let them out to range

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: Why not try a Grandpa's Chicken Feeder? Also known as a treadle feeder. 2nd row of pics, the one on the left.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/homemade-chicken-feeder-waterer-designs-pictures
Here's a webpage on how to build a simple treadle feeder of your own. if you have bantams, you would want to use lighter weight materials so the birds lower weight would open it.
http://www.woodworkingcorner.com/feeder.php
here's a BYC thread with 3 pages of discussion on the topic: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/129292/treadle-chicken-feeder
I don't think the crows are heavy enough to open it? Folk say they work well and the chickens get the idea real quick.
Best,
Karen in western PA, USA

 

[carolwfuller]

augh-I think that is a good idea but I do not think I have the skills to make one. Will look around for something similar
Thank You for your reply