How to stop chicks from wasting food?

[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

 

[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
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[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

 

[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!