Death caused by plastic hanging feeder

[Brattybiddy]

Hi - we are fairly new to chickens. We have a small flock of chickens consisting of pullets, laying hens, and a very sweet Leghorn rooster named Oliver. We had a hanging metal feeder, but because a lot of the food was ending up on the ground we went out and got a smaller plastic feeder. Last month my husband found one of the pullets had somehow got its beak stuck in the feeder. He freed it and it seemed to be okay. Unfortunately It died suddenly a few days later. We made sure the feeder wasn't too high and all the chickens were able to reach the food. We thought it was a fluke until my son who keeps a larger flock of chickens (for years) found one of his hens with its beak stuck in the feeder. It died. My son had also replaced the metal feeder with a plastic one.
Has anyone heard of problems like this with the hanging plastic feeders. Thank you

1 Leghorn rooster named Oliver, 2 Plymouth Rock laying hens- named Jenny and Penny, 1 laying Leghorn Hen named Lucy, 4 pullets, Greta -Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Yuki- Japanese Chin and an old Basenji named Dodger.

 

[jerseygirl1]

No? I have never heard that, what kind of hanging plastic feeder is it - I have three of them

 

[Break an Egg]

I haven't heard of that at all, but I wanted to say

I have a hen named Yuki and a roo named Haru.

I hope you can get the answers you need here, I'm sure you will actually. Please post a pic (or a link) of a similar feeder so we can see how/why that happened.

 

[Brattybiddy]

I'm not sure of the make- it's red and white and we got it from Tractor Supply.

1 Leghorn rooster named Oliver, 2 Plymouth Rock laying hens- named Jenny and Penny, 1 laying Leghorn Hen named Lucy, 4 pullets, Greta -Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Yuki- Japanese Chin and an old Basenji named Dodger.

 

[Brattybiddy]

I will as soon as I figure out how to post the photo. As you can see I am still trying to figure out how to add the quote

Thank you for the quick replies, though. We love our chickens. They are such cool and funny creatures with great personalities. We try to make sure we take a treat with us when we go down to the coop. They have come to expect their treats and get quite indignant when they don't get it, especially Jenny and Penny our Plymouth Rocks.
So far we haven't had any problems with the plastic feeder. So I am still hoping it was just a fluke that it happened.

 

[Brattybiddy]

Forgot to mention- That's funny you have a hen named Yuki- like my Japanese Chin. Do you know that it is Japanese for Snow?

 

[jerseygirl1]

This one? I have never had a problem with them

 

[Brattybiddy]

Yes that's the one. She got her beak caught under one of the plastic pieces. Her bottom beak was stuck. My husband still thinks it wasn't that because she was fine for 2 or 3 days after that. However, there is no other explanation for her demise. My son has the same feeder and his hen was found dead with its beak stuck to it. We haven't had any other problems with it- and it happened a month ago.

 

[chrisarvor]

Quote:
Hi bratty
sorry to here about that.

did raising the feeder off the ground solve the excess food spillage?????????????
Thanks Chris

 

[jerseygirl1]

Quote:
Hi bratty
sorry to here about that.

did raising the feeder off the ground solve the excess food spillage?????????????


Thanks Chris

It did for me, I am wondering if it was too high off the ground for the OP's chickens and that's how its' beak got stuck?