Feeder and waterer recommendations

[dottie15]

i give treats daily. they don't seem to mind. I also define treats as anything other than their normal feed: sometimes mealworms, often kitchen scraps (veggies, cucumber hanging on a stick, corn on the cob, etc

i give treats daily. they don't seem to mind. I also define treats as anything other than their normal feed: sometimes mealworms, often kitchen scraps (veggies, cucumber hanging on a stick, corn on the cob, etc.

I tried the corn on the cob and they pecked it a few times and were over it haha my hen eats all snacks and bugs. My rooster not so much. He loves blueberries, walnuts and shredded lettuce though.

 

[Bananabread]

I tried the corn on the cob and they pecked it a few times and were over it haha my hen eats all snacks and bugs. My rooster not so much. He loves blueberries, walnuts and shredded lettuce though.

Nothing wrong with fancy!

 

[ViKulik]

I'm kinda lazy and my old 15 lb galvanized feeder finally fell apart so I bought this. Oh and my 6week ol marans just had their first blueberrys yesterday and went cuckoo for them.

 

[dottie15]

I'm kinda lazy and my old 15 lb galvanized feeder finally fell apart so I bought this. Oh and my 6week ol marans just had their first blueberrys yesterday and went cuckoo for them.

Blueberries are a favorite over here! My chickens even gather around me when they see the package. I’ve been putting them in the freezer just for a few minutes when it’s warm outside before giving them out. Happy to hear yours enjoy them too!

 

[Iluveggers]

I put a regular feeder inside a rubber dog bowl. Whatever they knock out, I just pour back in at the end of the day. Have saved a TON of feed that way.

 

[ViKulik]

I have found chickens waste a lot more crumble than pellets. Crumbles just seem to merge with the dirt upon impact.

 

[dottie15]

I have found chickens waste a lot more crumble than pellets. Crumbles just seem to merge with the dirt upon impact.

Besides texture, is there a difference between crumble and pellets? I’m currently feeding my rooster and hen the Purina flock raiser.

 

[ViKulik]

Besides texture, is there a difference between crumble and pellets? I’m currently feeding my rooster and hen the Purina flock raiser.

Nutrition wise no difference. I switch mine to pellet as soon as the are finished with the medicated chick starter grower. I don't ever make a mash, so pellet works better for me.

 

[jreardon1918]

We have a homemade pvc feeder. The bowl at the bottom is at a high the makes the girls reach in. They do not flinch much out. Also I let it run out pretty regularly. That forces them to eat any spillage. I filled this morning and spilled a decent amount of crumbles and they have done a nice job of cleaning up for me. the next bag of feed will be pellets which I think proved to be a bit less wasteful. Although I have no science to prove that theory.

As to treats, they get kitchen scraps. And at that not frequently. Good luck

 

[Debbie292d]

Hello!
I’ve been using the attached waterer for a few months now but with the warm weather approaching I want to buy a waterer that holds more water so I can also add ice on extra hot days. Any recommendations on waterers?

Also, the feeder I have is similar to the photo I attached and I like it because it hangs well inside the coop but my rooster and hen ferociously peck at their food when they’re eating so a lot ends up being spilt in the ground, wasted and refilled everyday. Any feeder recommendations out there that’ll help with this?

And lastly, I read that there’s such thing as over feeding them? I refill their feeder everyday with all flock raiser, and have two separate hanging trays, one for grit and the other for oyster shells (they don’t touch these but I have them there anyways) They also love blueberries and walnuts so I give them treats almost everyday as well.

Thanks for your help/feedback!

We use a 5-gallon nipple bucket that stays in the coop and outside the house when they get up here to free range there's an ice cream pail of cold water with Hydro Hen, ACV, or Nutra Drench in there. Sometimes I put strawberries and that's hilarious.

You can't overfeed a chicken as they get full and stop. At least most do. We have a huge round stainless steel feeder hanging in the coop. When they started picking through the Kalmbach's Henhouse Reserve, I quit feeding them that and bought crumbles (silkies) and use the KHR as treats or ferment.