How can a make sure everyone gets along at feeding time? (Feeder ?)

[Smartie_Pants]

I have 16 chickens and 6 ducks. Most of the chickens are ones I picked up the other day at the farmers market. I had about 7 originally. They won't let each other eat in harmony though. They house and sleep together just fine, but not eat.

My food containers are very, very, very low tech but have always worked until now. One is a big deep skillet that many can easily sit around and eat. The other is shallower and on the other side of the pen and is just a round dish. We've done some work on the pen and made it reall nice and everything now, but I'm wanting to update the feed system too.

Would hanging feeders make them fight less? Does it cut down on spilled food? Which is better, metal or plastic? I have two different feeding "stations" currently, would makeing them smaller and spreading them out into more stations keep the bullying down? There are about 5 or 6 that always get pecked and chased away, but still want to eat with them instead of on the other end of the pen.

Advice?

 

[ella]

Hanging feeders have cut down on the waste for me. Make sure to hang them about back height of the shortest bird. They'll still fight over it though.

Plastic or metal is a personal preference. I prefer plastic, I have suspicions about the zinc used to galvanize the metal ones. Also you can bleach plastic without problems.

The more feeding stations the better. They will still test their position by trying to eat with the higher ranking chickens, but with more feeders the runts will always have plenty to eat.

 

[panner123]

When you figure this one out let us know. This is more or less normal for feeding that many birds. Now you realing want to see a fight, take one green tomato, cut into quarters, but do not cut it all the way though. Now pitch this to the chickens. It is best to have a video camera there, for you will not be able to follow the antics. If you keep the feeders full at all times they won't fight as much.

 

[cmom]

I perfer the hanging feeders. I don't know how many feeders you have but you may have to add and put the other feeder(s) in a different spot away from the one(s) you have now.