Little Giant Feeder modifications?

[JacksonPearce]

I purchased two Little Giant style feeders that are supposed to cut down on food waste, and they very much don't for me. These weren't inexpensive, so I'd strongly prefer not to buy something else new. Has anyone modified theres in a way that results in less waste?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFZWCN8/?tag=backy-20

 

[paneubert]

How are they wasting the feed? Maybe raise it up higher so they cant bill out as much food.

 

[JacksonPearce]

They seem to be sorting through it and knocking it out in the process. I’ll raise it up and see if that helps, but I’ve got a variety of sizes so it’s tricky .

 

[blackdog043]

What kind of feed are you using that they are sorting through it?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Off the top of my head, maybe if you could build some sort of removable tray to sit underneath it, to catch anything that falls out. It would need to be a little larger than the base with a bit of a lip around the edge. Once it collects up feed waste for the day, just dump the feed back into the top of the feeder for the next day.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Yikes! $52.00 for that? I need to raise my prices. For $13.00 more you can get a feeder with a door, one that has a feed lip to help stop most birds from billing feed (they have one, turned outside instead of inside, go figure), and a spring loaded door and counterweight that will stop wild birds and rats from stealing the feed.

As for salvaging what you have, they have some sort of wire grid inside. Does the feed flow outside that grid? A grid is supposed to prevent billing, sweeping food around using the beak. A chunk of chicken wire will help as long as it is laying on top of the feed, might have to remove their grid and secure the chicken wire somehow. Or get a roofing tin water flashing shingle at the big box store that is long enough to trim down to reach dise to side inside the feeder. Cut it about three inches wide and bend a lip on one long edge and insert it between the front of the feed tray and the sides of the feeder right above the pop rivet. That is a lip extender, makes the feeder deeper, harder to fling feed.

That said, mixing feeds leads to birds sorting feed looking for goodies. Put one kind of feed in a feeder and use multiple feeders. Or buy a good feeder for a few dollars more. I know, shipping, those are Amazon Prime, the shipping is buried in the cost of the feeder.

 

[JacksonPearce]

Thanks all! I feed New Country Organics, which I (and my hens) love, but there are definitely goodies they sort through. I'll try both raising them and adding a lip along the front edge.

 

[Fairview01]

Build yourself some of the 5 gallon bucket feeders that use the PVC elbows. Instructions are in the forum. They can rake through it all day long without wasting a single piece and eventually will have to eat the boring stuff.

Cost about $15 and 30 minutes of your time. If you want to stay with these feeders switch to pellets. There's nothing really to find when feed is in the pellet form and while they may refuse to eat it the first day or two they rethink that stubbornness real quick when there crop is empty. A chicken never went on a hunger strike and died of starvation.