Can someone please post links to some of the bulk feeders you use? I have considered getting a hanging feeder that will hold quite a bit of food, but not sure which type is best, or if there's something else that's even better.
What types of feeders do you use?
ETA: While we're on the topic, what type of waterers do you use? My chickens seem to LOVE drinking out of shallow dishes, so I have several ( 6 or 7) in their yard and then 2 regular waterers in their actual coop.
I made my chicken feeder by drilling some holes on the outside bottom of a 5 gallon bucket and bolting a hog food pan on the bottom of it, gravity fed and holds a bunch of food. The chickens will eat till its all gone, I always know when its getting low because my lil chicken ladies are making tons of noise lol.
Funny you should ask. We have a feeder inside the henhouse, but today I gave them another feeder, a trough type, and filled it, placing it outside under a cover. The chickens acted as though I had given them a treat, and finished it. So I filled it again, they emptied it again. After the 3rd time, I asked them if they were so hungry why didn't they just go inside to eat?
Food and water available at all times in their run. I do not keep food/water in their coop. But that said, my coop is quite small and I only have three hens. Their run is predator proof and I do not lock them in their house at night as they are secure inside their run. So they COULD get up and get food/water at night if they wanted. There is a very low watt motion sensor light in their run so they'd be able to see.
Mine are not free range. Self-service food, crushed eggshells and water in the run and self-service water in the house. Treats (scratch, seasonal fruits, grass clippings, etc) not more than every other day.
always have fresh food and wather available, they free range under supervision, and get treats twice a day. Personally, I'm worried about them exploding. Makes our family Thanksgiving tradition of eatting until it hurts look baby-weak in comparison.
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I have the same set up, but I dont put anything in the small roosting coop. I figure if I go all night with out food and water, so can they. besides the coop is a hundred time cleaner now. no spilt water and food all over that seemed to atract a lot of bugs etc.. water and food all the time in run plus range around back yard 8-10 hrs a day