Feeder or let them dig?

[ladyhand]

I have 4 Sapphire Gem pullets and they are continually walking in the bottom of their feeder, getting poop on or in it, and they're always kicking the food out and then digging the pine shavings around to eat it from the bottom of the brooder. One of them flew up and sat over the top of the feeder for the first time today, so I can foresee all of their fresh food getting pooped on if that continues... Should I ditch the feeder and just let them dig for their food in the pine shavings since they seem to enjoy that anyway?

 

[Percheron chick]

No they will waste more than they eat. Place the feeder in a pieplate so they can easily clean up what they kick out. Fermenting or a simple mash will help too. Give them a pan of dirt to scratch and play in.

 

[Palmettoguy]

My sapphires did the same thing. I just tied it up a few inches off the floor and that solved the problem. The cord prevented them from flying up and getting on top of it.

 

[3KillerBs]

Raise the feeder to the level of their backs and they won't waste so much.