damp food?

[yesfantina]

It just stormed. The chickens have been outside for less than a week, so everything is still new while we work out the kinks...

The food is hanging now from the middle of the roofed section of the run, so it's about 6 inches off the ground and is in the covered part...

The food got damp in the rain. Do I need to empty it and throw it all out now? Or will they eat it? I shouldn't be keeping the food IN the little coop, right? but what about when it rains? I need to go out after every rain and throw out the food? Any suggestions?

 

[jjthink]

If food is eaten within a couple of hours of getting wet it's probably fine but I would definitely discard after that. Anything that gets mold (and you wouldn;t necessarily see it in its beginning stages) is no good.'
JJ

 

[Nicole01]

I wouldn't take any chances and throw it out. Especially with cocci growing in wet and damp conditions. The food will mold in about 2 days of being wet.

I feed my girls wet food as a treat. I had some in a container that they didn't finish. I set it in the garage due to being side tracked from the kids. 2 days later when I emptied the bowl, it was moldy underneath.

 

[Wildflower_VA]

I would put a plastic lid over the open top of the feeder, that way only the feed in the base will get damp. I have a feeder just like yours, and if the feed in the base gets damp, I scoop it out and mix it with some yogurt, buttermilk or water and the chickens will gobble it down before it can spoil. I only feed organic, soy-free feed to my chickens, and I can't afford to throw any away. I have learned not to put more feed in the feeder than my six chickens can eat in two days time. I don't know why they don't put a lid over the top of these kinds of feeders!