Feed all over the place!

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

So my week old chicks are making a mess with their feed.

Does anyone else have this problem and how do I solve it?

I have the quart jar feeders. Am I just giving them too much food?

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Do your feeder trays have the little holes that are just big enough for chick heads to fit into? That way it's pretty difficult for them to scatter feed.

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

Yes it is the kind with holes- but they seem to get it all over their brooder box.

 

[Matt A NC]

I use a pan a little larger then the base of the feeder to catch the feed. Then just recycle back into their feed again and again.

This catch pan is the clear ones that you buy to put under a flower pot.

Matt

Edited to add that I also use frisbees. Anything that is a little larger and has a 3/4 to 1 inch lip will work.

 

[Turkeyrangler]

Great idea Matt. I think I'll need to buy a couple frisbees.

 

[BrewedInNh]

We had the mason jar type of feeders, except they were made of plastic. By the time our chicks were 3 weeks old they had learned how to tip a feeder on its side so the feed could spill out everywhere.

They even learned how to take the base of the feeder apart.

I finally built one out of scrap plywood with a big enough base that I'm hoping they won't tip it over.

 

[geebs]

make them a suet cake.

 

[BC_Farms]

Wow so glad I read this thread...having the same problem with my keets. Thanks Matt for the great idea!!

 

[theFox]

If you place the feeder on blocks so that it is at least shoulder high (body wing joint) when the chick stands it is a lot harder for them to bill out the feed.

Stopping the tipping of the feeder only takes a drill and a screw to secure the feeder base to the wooden block.

The same can be done with the waterer (except for the drill and screw part) to really cut down on litter and water wicking issues.

Please note my definition of a wooden block is a piece (or several pieces) of wood that is (or can be joined to be) sturdy not a leftover piece of 2x4.

 

[darkmatter]

Yeah.......those feeders are designed by the feed producers-----to spill as much feed as possible so you will be back soon to buy more feed.
I've done the same as a previous poster, I cut out the bottom of plastic buckets to set the feeder jar in such that the rim of the plastic bucket is above the level of the feeder holes. I have even nestled three increasing sized "retainers" to make rings of feed catch.
You can see in this pic, the feeder nestled to retain the feed in the cage.