How do you keep shavings out of feed and water?

[acbear93]

In my coop, I have the layers food raised up on a few broken patio blocks, and the waterers are on cinder blocks, so they stay pretty clean...

If you have little chicks...I put the chick feeders and waterers on pieces of wood so they are slightly elevated, but are still accessible, and that helps, but no matter what, they are so active when they are that little, all that zipping around...you cant help but get some in the water, and just have to change it more often...you could try using a little less shavings too and see if that helps...

If you have larger birds, and chicks all living together, it may help to make a little area that only the chicks can get to so that the others dont keep knocking it over and making a mess of things..worked for me

 

[Cathyw]

You need to set the bowls on something up off of the shavings. I'll sometimes use a piece of wood... or a tray...an inverted plate. for bigger birds a cinder block...anything really that keeps the food/water up off the shavings. Just make sure that they can reach the food/water.

I set the bowls on a brick and they move the shavings from one side just to put them in the water

 

[Newclucker91]

I have varying sizes of Tupperware I invert and put them on, only a couple pieces of bedding at end of day. Just be careful on height.

 

[Javasuz52]

The best way to not get shavings in food and water dispensers, is to not get chickens

I've elevated mine & it still happens. Yesterday I saw one of my chicks pick up a piece of shavings, walk over to the feeder, placed shaving in one opening and proceeded to eat out of the next opening. I still haven't figured out the thought process behind that maneuver.

Exactly! I have a rooster and he constantly fills the water and food dishes and they are hanging about 10 inches off the ground!!