How do you keep shavings out of feed and water?

[sandy sea]

I am having a real problem keeping the water and food available for the newly hatched chicks. The broody hens keep scratching out the food or turning over the feeders and spilling the food into the shavings. The water bowl and even the plastic type water holder gets filled with the shaving. What can do or make to stop this problem. Should I remove most of the shavings? Help please.

 

[AmyRey]

Hanging them solved LOTS of my feed/water issues. (The feeders/waterers, not the chickens.)

 

[fhdogs]

Quote:

That's what solved the problem for me. I've got two feeders and a large waterer. They all hang in the coop. Also, setting them high enough that they have to reach a little cuts down on wasted feed all over the floor.

 

[ERnoleGuy]

I will agree that hanging them solved my problem too. However I know that my chick feeder & waterer didn't come with any way to hang them. Once I got my bigger 11 lb feeder & 3 gal waterer, the problem was solved because I could hang it. I do have a couple of recommendations that have worked for me:

-Place a bit of hay on top of the pine shavings. I feel pine shavings are better to use than hay for the most part because they don't decompose nearly as fast, however a small amount on top of the pine shavings really helps to kinda hold them all down, like a net.

-I second a previous reply, and that is to elevate the chick waterer. Just make sure whatever you use to elevate it provides a step up around the waterer too so that they can reach it.

I tried making about a 2'x3' section of the floor out of just 1/2" wire mesh and placing the waterer on it but somehow they just managed to drag pine shavings all the way over to it and fill up the dish.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Pick them out by hand! haa haa haa...sorry I'm no help, but that's what I still do....