How to keep bedding OUT of feeder and water??

[SilkiesForEver]

I have this kind of feeder and water, and the bedding keeps getting lodged in the tray part when they have fun and scratch for bugs. I always have to scoop it out.

Anyone have any good solution for this??

 

[donrae]

You need it to be higher. How that happens depends on your set up. My feeder hangs from the rafters and at the level of the birds' back, so they have to work a little to get feed from it. The waterer is outside, so no bedding nearby anyway, and up on a concrete block for good measure. The smaller birds can stand on the egde of the block to drink if they can't quite reach.

If you have a run attached and a covered area, I'd put the feeder out there. Like with my waterer, if there's no bedding, none goes in the feeder.

 

[4 the Birds]

I agree with Rachel that higher will help; Yet, your waterer looks to be a good height in the picture. I always slosh water out of those troughs before a refill or to refresh the water if I don't refill. The problem with the BIG several gallon metal waterers is that you need a nice pair of biceps to do this! I recommend two or more waterers and the smaller gallon size for ease of cleaning and refilling. I put my coop waterer under a bench as you do but this can also be problematic to clean or fill. I do use a big 2 gal waterer during the Winter months and it is heated. I think of it as my daily excersize to refill or clean this puppy.

You can also go to nipple waterers but this would not be a good option for me.