How High to Place Feeder on Wall?

[TammyRoesch]

How high off the floor should I place my wall feeder for the chickens? Thanks in advance!

 

[Shadrach]

How high off the floor should I place my wall feeder for the chickens? Thanks in advance!

Ground level is most comfortable for chickens.
Some people raise their feeders. I'm not quite sure why. I think perhaps some believe it makes access more difficult for rodents. Rodents are rather smarter then that and they can also jump.

 

[TammyRoesch]

Ground level is most comfortable for chickens.
Some people raise their feeders. I'm not quite sure why. I think perhaps some believe it makes access more difficult for rodents. Rodents are rather smarter then that and they can also jump.

I thought if I raised them up a bit, they wouldn't spill so much out on the floor?

 

[Shadrach]

I thought if I raised them up a bit, they wouldn't spill so much out on the floor?

It depends on the type of feeder one uses. Even when I tried out pipe feeders they chickens still managed to either pick out or swipe out feed onto the floor.
Raised feeders may help prevent chickens scratching the feed out but once agan, depending on the type of feeder used, some just jump on to the feeder and still scratch the feed out.
If you chickens are kept in a coop and run arrangement they will eat the feed that gets thrown onto the floor. Often the more junior hens will dive in and out of the seniors as they feed and grab the feed on the floor.
I found with free rangers the feed got left on the floor and that attracted rodents.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Plain old wall hung feeders are fine at beak height. Make the biddies get up on their toes to eat, that might reduce feed raking and spillage. Many of those old design feeders don't have a feed lip inside to help with raking, it takes at least a 1/2" projecting lip to stop most birds and some are just going to turn raking into their hobby if you feed a mixed feed with goodies they can rake out.

You can try adding a lip or cut a section of chicken wire to lay over the top of the feed tray to prevent raking with a beak. They can peck through the holes in the chicken wire just fine. As others have said hanging the feeder doesn't stop rats or wild birds but you can get by till you can afford to invest in a proper treadle feeder which will pay for itself by avoiding feed spills and feed theft.

But never, ever, hang a treadle feed off the floor. Treadle feeders HAVE to have that treadle bottom out on the ground or patio blocks or whatever is the base. Get them up out of the litter using patio blocks but leave a good area around on three sides for the birds to use coming and going. Hanging a treadle feeder and thinking a chicken can fly up and safely balance just creates a death trap.