Feed Spilling

[Augie1]

I had this feeder sitting on the pallet with no problem. Until a couple of days ago and noticed a lot of feed spillage. I raised it slightly higher and still had spillage. Today I raised so the head of the smallest pullet would reach the feed while standing on the 2x4. We will see tomorrow morning if there is spillage. If there is spillage what feeder should I buy? What knot should I do for the hook? So I can raise it up and down. How long can I leave the spilled feed on the ground? It's hot and dry here and plan to go to the feed store as soon as possible.

Many thanks

 

[GreedySeedFeedy]

What kind of feeder are you using currently?

 

[Augie1]

What kind of feeder are you using currently?

Thought I added a photo.
Edit

 

[GreedySeedFeedy]

Those swinging feeders can sometimes be deliberately tipped by smarter birds. I would suggest a non-hanging feeder, or even use the same one, but hot glue it temporarily to sone kind of stand or bucket. My wife says that you could try to fill it less or cover the top in case someone is being smart and trying to eat from the top, knocking the feed out of it.

Is there any possibility of squirrels, rabbits or other pests that could raid it, and dump feed out by trying to lean on the edge?

 

[Augie1]

Those swinging feeders can sometimes be deliberately tipped by smarter birds. I would suggest a non-hanging feeder, or even use the same one, but hot glue it temporarily to sone kind of stand or bucket. My wife says that you could try to fill it less or cover the top in case someone is being smart and trying to eat from the top, knocking the feed out of it.

Is there any possibility of squirrels, rabbits or other pests that could raid it, and dump feed out by trying to lean on the edge?

I had a top on it when it was sitting on the pallet.
It could be rodents. We will see tomorrow. What's another way to tell?

 

[GreedySeedFeedy]

I had a top on it when it was sitting on the pallet.
It could be rodents. We will see tomorrow. What's another way to tell?

If it used to be sitting on the palette and not hanging, but still got spilled, one of your birds could have started to fling the food out to the side in search of a favorite seed. My quail do that if I don't stop them. If this is the case, just get a feeder with restrictive 'holes' to peck from, such as this: https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/Gaun-Plastic-Chicken-Feeder-Trough/2D8DJBC0QFBL


If you can't set up a camera to find the culprit, try checking in on the state of the feed at different times through the day. If it gets disturbed at night, it's probably not the chickens, as they will be asleep and not eating.

 

[Augie1]

If it used to be sitting on the palette and not hanging, but still got spilled, one of your birds could have started to fling the food out to the side in search of a favorite seed. My quail do that if I don't stop them. If this is the case, just get a feeder with restrictive 'holes' to peck from, such as this: https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/Gaun-Plastic-Chicken-Feeder-Trough/2D8DJBC0QFBL


If you can't set up a camera to find the culprit, try checking in on the state of the feed at different times through the day. If it gets disturbed at night, it's probably not the chickens, as they will be asleep and not eating.

Its all layer pellet. If it was a chicken or rodent why did it start happening only a couple of days ago? By raising will it solve my issue?
The problem with that is I don't check the coop in the morning only in the afternoon. So I cant feed them.

 

[GreedySeedFeedy]

Whether it would solve your problem or not depends on what's flinging the grain out. If it was spilling before it was raised, it's not the birds swinging the feeder.

If it's all layer grains they would be less likely to fling and dig through it, but chickens and quail will still scratch instinctively to spread it out and, if it was on the ground before, this would do it. If this is the case, raising it to chicken chest height will stop them scratching the grains out.

 

[GreedySeedFeedy]

As for why it only started happening a couple days ago, I have no clue! The season is changing which will change behavior in all kinds of animals, but your guess is as good as mine!

 

[Augie1]

As for why it only started happening a couple days ago, I have no clue! The season is changing which will change behavior in all kinds of animals, but your guess is as good as mine!

Alright
How long can I have the feed spilled?