I have only had my chickens (5 hens, 1 rooster) for a week...They are all adults. Currently, I am scattering their scratch on the ground in their run, and giving them the mash in a pie tin. Obviously this is messy with the mash. I see a lot of different feeders available and wonder what you all have tried and what are your favorites?
I use a tub with a weight in the middle. The weight both makes it so they can't tip it plus makes it so the food is available in a strip around the tub rather than the whole thing. With 1 inch or more of food, and 6" sides, they can't bill it out. I got the idea from another BYC'r, chicks-among-us, who uses buckets in the middle of larger tubs than I use. She cut holes around the bottom of the buckets and sets them in the middle of the tubs and there ya go. Same idea, I just use smaller tubs.
Hi cbascom,, Welcome to the forum. I've tried a couple and what I am using now hangs on the side of the run wires. You can get several types of feeders that hang, from cage cups to feeders with hoods etc. As galanie pointed out, it is good to have something that they can't tip over and can't crawl in. -- and it is good to have something that has a covering over the top so the feed won't be spoiled by rain.
I like the rubber fortex tubs when I make a mash. They don't tip over very easily. I use the 12 lb. hanging feeders (but don't hang them) and put them inside larger black fortex tubs to catch the spills. Saves a lot of money. Right now I have them hanging though since I am growing out my chicks.
I love those rubber tubs. I have a couple of small ones that I use for mash too. And a large one for the water.
