How to stop chicks from wasting food?

[jimmywalt]

We have some baby chicks that are just over a week old. They sure do love to flip the food around in the brooder and waste it. Our feeder is like what I pictured. Are there any ways to help prevent or slow down the wasted food? Thank you.

 

[littlefarmgirl9]

You could try putting a bit of garbage bag or something under the feeder to catch it, and then empty back into the feeder. But knowing them, those 'lil chicks will probably find a way to ruin that. Good luck! (;

 

[theoldchick]

Honestly, I stopped using those and put my feed in a short sided cardboard box weighed down by a rock. This worked great for me as the chicks were allowed to scratched about and had a blast 'roosting' on the rock, and engage in other normal chick behavior. Once the box was worn or soiled, I simply replaced it with another.

Another option is to use a rubber feed pan weighed down by a rock. I love these also because they last forever, you can clean and disinfect them, and have many other purposes. So get several of them. They come in handy when you have animals.

Good luck!

 

[chickens really]

I use sand in my Brooder for Chicks I hand raise and rubber livestock bowls..Water font up on Bricks so stays clean.They peck and scratch around for the spilled feed.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

I make mash of the crumbled dry food, just mixing it with water and letting it soak. I do this for my adults, too. I use the same feeder you have and just scoop food into the bowl while the center piece is in place. I don’t put any food in the center storage space, I change their food out daily anyway and they just don’t eat that much. The center keeps them from climbing into the food and because the food is wet, they can’t fling it willy nilly from the bowl.

 

[chickens really]

Chicks actually should only be on dry...

 

[Chickassan]

Tell them there are starving chicks in Africa?

 

[NNYchick]

I have stopped using the round chick feeder as they were able to beak it out. I have changed to this and do not fill all the way to top and this has helped drastically.

I also feed crumble with water added to make a oatmeal type consistency. This has been a huge hit and has no waste. I offer this twice a day. I have not heard that chicks should only have dry food, I don't know about that? Mine love the wet food and some chicken keeper start off with fermented food which is wet. They always have dry starter available but notice they do not eat very much of that. This is what I feed the wet food in

 

[chickens really]

I only know what friends that own a Hatchery advise...Sorry...

 

[NNYchick]

Tell them there are starving chicks in Africa?

LOL I did say that to mine, they did not seem to care.