Mash doesn't work well in my diy bucket feeder. Options?

[cjweaver13]

I made the bucket feeder and it works great for pellets, but now that they're laying we switched over to a layer mash since it's cheapest at $11.75/50. The next cheapest option is crumble or pellets at around $15/50lb around me, so I'd prefer to stay with mash if I can help it since the girls seem to like it.

The mash creates kind of a funnel, and unless you agitate it every couple hours, it cakes up and won't fall down into the pvc properly. Is there a modification like a baffle or something somebody has tried if you've experienced the same problem, or am I better off just getting something like one of the tractor supply hanging feeders with the tray style so it all can fall down? Worst case scenerio I can grab pellets, but would prefer to find a solution since even within 2-3 months the cost of just buying a new feeder pays for itself.

 

[azygous]

If you spring for a bag of pellets, mix the bucket to contain one-third pellets with the mash, the heavy pellets as they move downward with feeding should keep the mash from compacting. Or, if there's a golfer in the family, add a eight to ten used golf balls to the bucket. But each time you add more mash, you will need to dig out the golf balls and put them back near the top.

 

[Compost Queen]

I made the bucket feeder and it works great for pellets, but now that they're laying we switched over to a layer mash since it's cheapest at $11.75/50. The next cheapest option is crumble or pellets at around $15/50lb around me, so I'd prefer to stay with mash if I can help it since the girls seem to like it.

The mash creates kind of a funnel, and unless you agitate it every couple hours, it cakes up and won't fall down into the pvc properly. Is there a modification like a baffle or something somebody has tried if you've experienced the same problem, or am I better off just getting something like one of the tractor supply hanging feeders with the tray style so it all can fall down? Worst case scenerio I can grab pellets, but would prefer to find a solution since even within 2-3 months the cost of just buying a new feeder pays for itself.

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When I make a mash I make it so it gets eaten in one day, as adverse to the pellet/ grain feeder which is an ongoing, fluid model. So I make what I call the democracy feeder- it means no bullying etc. I have 7 chooks and it works very well. I have a large (perhaps 80 cm- about 32 inch I think) plastic dish ( was lid off a worm farm). In the middle I put a plastic pot inverted, about 30cm/12" base and the feed all around they edges. Because they can't see each other and they're head down bums up it works quite well. If they have a smaller yard or are enclosed, put it down for half an hour and when they've had first gorge remove it and return it later in day to finish it off. Minimizes wild birds pecking at it and chooks stepping in it

 

[3KillerBs]

Fine-ground dry mash feed -- as opposed to crumble -- is really intended to be fed wet or fermented rather than as a dry powder. The birds can't eat the powder well and, in addition to the feeder not handling it well, they will waste a great deal of it.