Loosing feed

[blackdog043]

The first thing I would recommend is raising the feeder to back height. If it's one of the regular metal feeders, try lowering the piece that holds the feed, so it's lower to the base. I think most are adjustable to not let as much feed in the base.

Below is a link to the no waste feeder with elbows. That's the style that I use and have no problems with wasted feed, feeding crumble. If you have a rooster it's recommended to use 4 inch elbows, because of the bigger comb.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...lon-25-feed-bucket-feeder-for-about-3.834227/

 

[DouglasB]

I would tell them your not getting anything else until you clean your feeder, and the ground.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I would tell them your not getting anything else until you clean your feeder, and the ground.

This works for me. My chickens will spill a small amount of pellets on the floor during the day. At night I remove the feeder. The next morning, any chickens that are up early will go and clean the floor of pellets.

Same with outside feeders. Once they're done with breakfast, anyone who is hungry for a snack will pick up any spilled grain around the bowls.

 

[irish44395]

Picture?

here are the pics
Pete

 

[Al Gerhart]

You have a choice when it comes to feeding chickens. Pay for a good feeder up front or pay for the feed loss and end up paying much more in the end. As you start out there might not be an issue till one of the hens starts raking feed looking for treats and teaches the other hens.

What comes next is rodents and wild birds, less so on the wild birds in a truly tight coop.

What comes next is predators of the rodents and wild birds being attracted by the prey species activity around your coop.

What is a good feeder? Well, it ought not to allow the average bird to rake feed. That means at least a 1/2" wide lip extending horizontally into the feed tray, having the feed sitting deep into the feeder, having sides and front flanges. Basically the feed needs to be in a metal box, deep down inside, two to three inches.

Now that metal box has to have a door to prevent vermin from getting to the feed and exploding the population beyond what the natural food availability would carry. That door needs to swing inward, not over the head of the bird, and it has to have a spring loaded door to prevent the mice and rats from simply pushing the door open to eat and this is a flaw in most of the treadle feeders found on Amazon. The inward swinging door also allows quick one or two day training and they do not have to be blocked open to train the birds. Once the rodents know where the feed is you have made keeping them out much, much, much, harder.

Then the treadle that operates that inward swinging door has to have a narrow and distant step, not the wide close in platforms most of the Amazon sellers provide. The vermin will simply stand on the handy platform and push the dang door open or they will swarm the treadle. You also need a heavy counterweight, around 2 pounds, to balance out the weight of the sturdy and long treadle but that in itself doesn't pre load the door to prevent rodents from pushing the door open, that is what the spring is for.

The last thing that is a must for a treadle feeder which is the only kind that meets all the specifications above is that it MUST have a feeder lip extender for those rare hens that love to rake feed looking for treats. Maybe one out of 50 flocks will need this extra help to stop feed raking. You can fit a section of chicken wire over one of the guillotine style feeders to stop feed raking but the grills that are sometimes provided are less effective.

Plastic bucket feeders are a stop gap and until the rodents find the coop they will help with the feed waste. But do like the guy did earlier in this thread; make your own, do not pay $50.00 for a couple of PVC elbows and a home depot bucket. You can get away with a bucket feeder till the rodents show up and eventually they will show up.