Keeping feed dry in the run?

[naturemom]

My chickens live in a chicken tractor and their feed is in the run part of it. There is a roof over it, but it always gets wet if there's more than a sprinkle of rain. Putting it in the henhouse is not an option-there just isn't room. I know there are range feeders that might work, but they are too big and expensive for my little flock. Is there any other way I can keep it from getting soaked?

 

[onthespot]

in my "bachelor run" i keep a large plastic dog crate and push a bucket of water to the back of the crate and put their food in a plastic feeder closer to the middle and they don't scratch a bunch of dirt in their water or food, and they don't try to roost on the bucket because it is so low, and the water stays clean for a few days. The food stays dry and if they spill some pellets they don't get soiled and the roosters clean them up. Almost zero waste, very little work to care for them.

 

[TreeFever]

Is the coop section raised at all or is it all one level?
I hang my feeder under the coop and it keeps it dry.In big storms though, nothing beats being able to put it inside.

 

[threehens]

I'm having the same problem. I put a plastic plant dish over top of the feeder but it didn't work. I may try squeezing the feeder into the coop part of the tractor for a few days while we go out of town to be sure they have dry food. We'll see what happens. I could take out the nesting box and put it there-those lazy chickens don't lay eggs anyway, 30 weeks and no eggs. Maybe I should stop feeding them and let them feed me for a change!!

Good luck!

 

[backintime]

If you have a round feeder with a handle, how about hanging it from a chain and threading one of those "squirrel guard" things made of sheet metal onto the chain on top of the feeder handle? (They are shaped like a big chinese hat!) If the feeder trough is at or about their chest height, the cover will not be in their way but would be low enough to keep rain out.

 

[cmom]

Here is a picture of a Range Feeder.

 

[cjstanman]

Quote:
Mine are in an A-frame chicken tractor and I have the same exact issue. I have an old shower curtain draped over the run when it rains. It stops short of the ground by about 6", but that's enough to keep the food dry, plus I can re-drape to *completely* cover the food side. When it's a sunny day, I only drape the curtain enough to make sure they have a shady spot and can see out.