How do you reduce feed waste?

[lazy gardener]

The waste will be reduced if the feeder is hanging level with the top of the chicken's backs. What style feeder are you using?

 

[aljeffers]

I have a metal 30 pound feeder, doesn't have dividers in it or anything. They waste a lot of feed, i recently switched from crumbles to pellets in the hopes that it would help the waste, but after looking in the coop last night there is as much if not more.

 

[jetdog]

Try making a 5 gallon bucket with two 90 degree elbows, I used 3 inch elbows they have to stick their heads inside and can't fling the food out this has worked great for me, keeps the food clean and no waste it holds about a months worth of food for my 4 girls.

 

[rottnwarrior]

I hang my feeder high so that the shortest of the bunch can just reach in and pick food out. Now and then 1 or 2 pellets hit the ground but quickly gets picked up by ones that want an easy bite to eat.

 

[snowflake]

I bought a large pan, (for under a washing machine, cost about $7 put that under the feeder that hangs, catches most and the smaller birds gladly eat it up,

 

[gypsychicken]

Put your feeder up on cinder blocks and use pellets for sure.

 

[Beekissed]

No option for mash? I've always used mash and fed in a trough wrapped in wire fencing to reduce shoveling and scratching it out on the floor. Also elevated the trough to chest height. Now that I ferment my mash I don't need the wire over the trough. Zero feed waste with this method, it's simple, its cheap and it's absolutely 100% effective.

The fermentation also prevents feed waste in another way...the feed that usually passes through undigested and deposited onto the coop floor is no longer being wasted in this manner. They are finally able to utilize all their feed as they should and no poorly digested feed and the resulting bad smells in the coop. No more flies attracted to that smell and the nutrients deposited there as the nutrients are now in the bird.

Saves almost half the cost of feed to simply ferment it.

 

[aljeffers]

What is fermenting the feed? Does it help with waste. We raised our feeder today, so I am going to see how that works for us, hopefully it will reduce it anyway.

 

[Beekissed]

What is fermenting the feed? Does it help with waste. We raised our feeder today, so I am going to see how that works for us, hopefully it will reduce it anyway.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/645057/fermented-feeds-anyone-using-them

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds

 

[rottnwarrior]

I just recently started fermenting and am surprised at how much they love it. At first it cut my feed down but then they ate twice as much of the dry feed that's free choice. We also got subzero weather those days too so I'm thinking they needed the food for warmth. Once the temps level out again I'll figure out how it's working for me.