Many complain about chickens wasting feed, but why don't I see it?

i have found mine wast more with the home made feeder i made and they also wast more crumbles than they do pellets and when the feeder is hung it is also better. on a side note, my dad lived in georgia for a few years and after hearing about the bugs there i am very happy to live in utah... he also calls cockroaches the georgia state bird
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(no offense to the actual georgia state bird
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)
 
Mine spilled a lot from the red/white plastic feeders, even when hung at back height. However the bought feeders did work better than the bucket ones that I designed. I let the feeders run out until the ground was cleaned up (about an afternoon's time) They are on dirt floor, so the spilled feed is easy for them to find.

Then I switched them to an automatic dog feeder, the feed is a lot deeper in the pan and I rarely EVER see a single pellet on the ground anymore. It was pricy ($40) but I'm gonna buy a second one when I get the money!
 
What type of dog feeder?? I would like to see it! I'm still using the feed store red and white ones, but am actively looking for a better alternative.
 
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What is with that? Ours were switched back to crumbles from pellets and they do appear to be eating much more. They are not even starved for greens like they used to be. They would devour anything I put in there that was green in a matter of minutes. Tonight, they left some fresh lettuce from the garden I put in there a couple of hours before dark. I feel they are getting better nutrition eating the organic crumbles than from just the treats they would pounce on. But it amazed me that they hated the pellets so much they would only eat them out of coming close to starving.
 
I use one of the metal hanging feeders, hung at back height. While using crumbles, I do have some that hits the floor, but I don't fill the 3 gallon feeders full. I feed enough to last the day, that way, they clean up what they spill. Then at evening about an hour before roosting time, I'll give them some more if necessary. I feed crumbles. Tried the pellets, but who said they can't dig them out of a hung feeder??
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I watched them all eat when I introduced the pellets. They would swing their heads inside the feed rim, and throw the pellets out on the ground and search for the crumbles. Once they hit the ground, the pellets were there to stay, no one would touch them! One bag of pellets was all it took to convince me they were NOT happy with pellets! I keep my main feeder inside the coop, and another one that I barely put any in, in the run for the younger birds that may get crowded out in the coop. The only time I actually fill the 3 gallon feeders is in the winter or when inclement weather is approaching, and I don't want to be out in the storm!
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I don't have mice or birds as a problem. If they should make the mistake of entering the run/coop, they will meet an untimely demise!
 
R.M. Hens :

I just posted about the waste I am having. I feed my 12 hens pellets, but I am thinking about switching to crumbles because of so much waste on the ground by the feeder. Maybe it's because my feeder is on the ground and not hung?
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My feeder is a big red and white one that is found at all the feed stores.

I use to have mine on the floor and recently hung it and the waste problem is much better. I only have four chicks but, they seem to keeping things cleaned up pretty well.​
 
Well, flock traiser crumbles in the 3 gallon hanging feeder with slightly more than a day's feed is what I'm doing right, I guess. The grit is not mixed in, but on the side. I will do the same with the oyster shell once I introduce. I guess they don't have to scatter to find what they want. Whenever I give chick scratch, I scatter it, so they pick it off the ground and throughout the shavings to fluff up. I guess it's working.
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This is the style of feeder I have. Not sure which size I bought, but I think this is it. http://www.tractorsupply.com/livestock/livestock-equipment/chicken-equipment/harris-farms-hanging-feeder-15-lb-capacity-2167133
 
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