Hen Swinging Beek

[ELauraD]

I have a hen that likes to swing her beek in the crumbles food container knocking all the food onto the ground. Anyone have this issue or any ideas how to break this behavior?

 

[GoldDogsMom]

From my experience that's normal chicken behavior! I switched to pellet feed because even when knocked out of the feeder someone comes along and eats it!

 

[bucky52]

i have noticed a lot of food on the ground.and this morning i seen several hens taking their beaks and raking it on to the ground.
lots of waste.

 

[GoldDogsMom]

Also, When my girls eat anything messy like grapes or melon they will wipe their beaks like that to clean them...

 

[donrae]

Raise your feeders up to the level of the hen's back. If they have to stretch a little they'll still get plenty to eat but it's more difficult for them to toss feed out.

 

[K-12 Chickens]

After I noticed my hens wasting crumbled feed, I switched to pellets. Though they can still knock food out of the feeder, it doesn't mix in with the dirt as easily and the other hens can find it.
You could also feed your chickens at certain times of the day, so they don't constantly have access to the feed.

 

[ELauraD]

Thank you for your suggestions. I tried different feeds and also put clothes pins at two inch distances around the feeder, that seemed to help too.