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.

 

[Chickassan]

Tell them there are starving chicks in Africa?

 

[NNYchick]

Tell them there are starving chicks in Africa?

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

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Chicks actually should only be on dry...

Actually, using soaked, fermented, etc feed is a benefit as it offers not only nutrition, but hydration as well. It also makes the feed more palatable and encourages consumption which is helpful in chicks that need to eat. All my broods get 1-2 feeds of soaked feed from the start and thrive

 

[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!

 

[Chickassan]

Well crap, I was hoping that line worked for someone. I ended up rigging a bird feeder at almost face level for the chicks. It didn't completely stop the mess but it was maybe 80 percent better. Keeping those little feet out is a huge help.

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

 

[Hufflefluff]

To the op....you can set the feeder down inside a container (gallon ice cream bucket, etc) and cut aves holes in the container that they reach through to get the feed, mske a mini no waste feeder with a coffee can and small pvc elbows, use a wire, zip tie, small bungee to anchor the feeder you have to a wall.... lots of ways to secure feed from waste

A similar solution, if you're using a cardboard box as a feeder, is to make it more like the trough feeding you see in commercial brooders. This worked well for me- bear with me while I try to explain
So, with a cardboard brooder, find a small box- about the size that you use to bring chicks home from feed stores. Cut a hole at about the height of your chicks' heads in the wall of your brooder that's an inch tall (about) by however many inches wide. place bricks in the small box until you can get the feeder to the same height as the whole, then fill and place the feeder on top of that, then push the two boxes together. That way, they can reach their heads in to eat, but can't scratch/ dust bathe/ poop in the feed. On a side note, you've gotten so many excellent responses to this question; I'll probably end up trying some of y'all's ideas with my own chicks

 

[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

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

To the op....you can set the feeder down inside a container (gallon ice cream bucket, etc) and cut aves holes in the container that they reach through to get the feed, mske a mini no waste feeder with a coffee can and small pvc elbows, use a wire, zip tie, small bungee to anchor the feeder you have to a wall.... lots of ways to secure feed from waste
View attachment 1277427

 

[Blooms&Brood]

I've tried many of the above suggestions, after three batches of chicks, finally went to the red trough feeder. Highly recommend for the ease of use and feed saving. However, in a pinch I've had success with using the bottom half of a washable egg carton (plastic) sitting inside a plant saucer weighted down with clean gravel. Whatever feed falls out lands in the gravel in the tray. They pick at those crumbles too!

I've also used a few different water set ups. Either sitting the Mason jar waterer on top of a clean suet cage with a cake to weigh it down or sitting a brick inside a plant saucer filled with pine pellets.

Lastly, according to me trusty copy of Feeds and Feeding, wet mash is acceptable though it *can* cause quick gains. I use wet mash for cold days and/or meat birds.

Good luck!