Latest Feeder - Took Ideas From Everywhere!

[jlwquilter]

The ‘divots’ at 5 1/2 days.

 

[jlwquilter]

What it looks like from the front. Easy to see what’s going on without opening the bin.

 

[BreanneRN]

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View attachment 1838739 What it looks like from the front. Easy to see what’s going on without opening the bin.

Wondering how it is for "billing" (you know, that annoying thing they do using their bill to pull all the feed out)? It looks like the feed is failrly deep down and angle is up so hoping it mostly prevents that? Short of just getting in the feeder and scratching it all out, billing is the most annoying feed wasting habit my chickens have.

 

[jlwquilter]

I am experiencing some crumble waste after all. Not a lot but definitely some. Which is unexpected as we didn’t have that issue with our previous pvc feeder, although we feed the pellets at that time. What I’m seeing is that they are putting their heads far into the openings and when they pull back, feed is dragged out by the lower neck and wattles. It seems more accidental than on purpose. I’ve watched my hens pick thru mash to get all the BOSS so I know deliberate when I see it - lol!

I have the old pvc tube feeder now set up next to this new feeder so I can compare and see what changed. I’ll report back!

 

[123RedBeard]

I'm just guessing ... but, it looks like there is a short section of pipe stuck in the "Y" that the chickens stick their head through to get feed ...

If that is correct ... to solve the "billing" accidentally or not ... would be to lengthen that pipe ...

If the short section of pipe is not glued in ... take a longer section to replace it ... you could cut it at an angle, so bottom is longer, and top is about the same as it is now ... put them on two, leaving the other two as they are now, and just observe for the next few days ...

If it is already glued in now ... you could get one "coupling" ... and cut it in "half" (either straight or an angle) and place that over the stub of existing pipe, to lengthen it a bit ...

By having a longer pipe, it has more time, and height, to help the crumbles fall back down in the pipe, instead of on the floor ...

 

[jlwquilter]

I'm just guessing ... but, it looks like there is a short section of pipe stuck in the "Y" that the chickens stick their head through to get feed ...

If that is correct ... to solve the "billing" accidentally or not ... would be to lengthen that pipe ...

If the short section of pipe is not glued in ... take a longer section to replace it ... you could cut it at an angle, so bottom is longer, and top is about the same as it is now ... put them on two, leaving the other two as they are now, and just observe for the next few days ...

If it is already glued in now ... you could get one "coupling" ... and cut it in "half" (either straight or an angle) and place that over the stub of existing pipe, to lengthen it a bit ...

By having a longer pipe, it has more time, and height, to help the crumbles fall back down in the pipe, instead of on the floor ...

That’s what my husband said! We ran out of time to do that this weekend. Hopefully we’ll get time this coming weekend to fix it. Fortunately there’s not a lot spilling out and the hens do eat most of it up anyway.

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[BreanneRN]

I am experiencing some crumble waste after all. Not a lot but definitely some. Which is unexpected as we didn’t have that issue with our previous pvc feeder, although we feed the pellets at that time. What I’m seeing is that they are putting their heads far into the openings and when they pull back, feed is dragged out by the lower neck and wattles. It seems more accidental than on purpose. I’ve watched my hens pick thru mash to get all the BOSS so I know deliberate when I see it - lol!

I have the old pvc tube feeder now set up next to this new feeder so I can compare and see what changed. I’ll report back!

Thanks, I'll look forward to hearing!

 

[BreanneRN]

Maybe it could just be retrofitted with a soft piece of rubber or silicone that would non-abrasively cause the feed to fall off the wattles/neck as the chicken withdrew from the feeder?

 

[jlwquilter]

Maybe it could just be retrofitted with a soft piece of rubber or silicone that would non-abrasively cause the feed to fall off the wattles/neck as the chicken withdrew from the feeder?

That’s an interesting idea too.

I think for now I’m going to let it be. There’s so little falling out and most of the gets eaten. I have other higher priority chicken ideas - lol!

I’ll post a thread tomorrow about it - we installed a working sink in the secured run today!

 

[jlwquilter]

11 full days of usage.