Mash won't drop/flow into feeder

[BigTone]

Hey folks, this is year 2 with meat chickens and we decided to switch from the Dumor Crumbles to a locally milled mash, much cheaper and better quality food. My problem is that the mash does not drop into the bottom of the feeder...I have the galvanized 3 pound feeder from TSC and I have it set on the highest hole to allow for maximum feed drop but it doesn't seem to be dropping or filling the bottom of the feeder once the chickens have finished what ever they can pull out. Any suggestions on how to get it to flow regularly? I'm not home enough to shake the feeder to fill the bottom and my chickens are growing slowly because they are not eating enough, I only feed 12 hours, 7am-7pm, and what ever grass/bugs they want but they're just not eating enough because its not flowing freely....thanks for the help! ~Anthony

 

[ChickenJerk]

Hey folks, this is year 2 with meat chickens and we decided to switch from the Dumor Crumbles to a locally milled mash, much cheaper
Is that in addition to costing less?
and better quality food.
Sure about that?
My problem is that the mash does not drop into the bottom of the feeder...I have the galvanized 3 pound feeder from TSC and I have it set on the highest hole to allow for maximum feed drop but it doesn't seem to be dropping or filling the bottom of the feeder once the chickens have finished what ever they can pull out. Any suggestions on how to get it to flow regularly?
Is the feeder hanging from one point? Often there is enough movement when swinging a little bit to help breakdown the "angle of repose" which the material will maintain unless acted upon otherwise.
I'm not home enough to shake the feeder to fill the bottom and my chickens are growing slowly because they are not eating enough, I only feed 12 hours, 7am-7pm, and what ever grass/bugs they want but they're just not eating enough because its not flowing freely...
First - ABANDON THE 12ON/12OFF INSANITY.
Give them access to feed all the hours of daylight you have unless you are in Alaska or the Yukon or somewhere the daylight is 24 hours long. Realize that the part of their diet that is forage is really not very nutritious. What they eat of that alone may retard their growth enough to meet you expectations.

 

[BigTone]

Well I do know that it is quality mash because the gentleman that makes it owns the farm next to ours and has been selling it for a decade, everyone swears by it and its been growing quality chickens. As far as the 12 hour rotation, its not insane its smart. My wife's family (who has been raising chickens for 5 years) and myself have yet to have a chicken split, have a heart attack, or die from disease, they swear by the 12 hour rotation and the results speak for themselves. We raise 6-8 lbs birds with the 10 lb bird occasionally thrown in every year, it takes a little longer to grow but they grow and are healthy, that's what is important. Did you have a answer to my question about the feed flow or did you just want to attempt to rip my post apart? thanks, Anthony

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. I think that is very wise to limit the feed like you are doing--I have read where others recommend it to slow the weight gain a bit for healthier birds. Some even let their meaties fee range to stay more healthy. About the feed, I have never found a feed that works in the galvanized feeders without occasionally knocking it or physically pushing it around. Pellets work a little better, but you still need to move it some. I use 20% Rocking Rooster unmedicated Growth pellets, and add crushed oyster shell for the layers. . I use a combination of the flat metal pig pans and the galvanized hanging feeders for my laying flock. They always prefer the pig pans, and although a little is knocked out, it is not bad. Another remedy would be to add additional hanging feeders.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Cannot help you with your particular model of feeder. It would APPEAR that mash isn't a good product for that particular feeder design. It may be that crumbles or pellets may work better in it.

I feed lots and lots of mash. Grower and Layer to different groupings of birds. The mash is far less money, at our mill, because they grind it themselves, using locally ground grains. It's fresh. It smells good and the birds perform well on it.

However, I feed the mash as a damp (not fermented) feed and pour it into old fashioned trough feeders. It works very well as the older styled trough feeders were used heavily back in the era before pelletized feed.

Not much help to you, but it would seem that you have to match the feed type to the feeder type, I guess. Best wishes for a successful grow out of those birds.

 

[BigTone]

we thought about adding a second feeder, I might make one because I hate the fact that they are tripping over each other trying to get to the feeder in the morning as well...when we were using the crumbles last year he had no problem but there manure smelled horrible and I liked the idea of a natural GMO free local feed. Thanks for the post, I appreciate it! ~Anthony

 

[Fred's Hens]

Section of Rain gutter, end caps and some center support rods they use to attach to facia, but these gutter nail guides also work well to make support bridges in the gutter every 4 feet, perhaps.

Pretty popular DIY trough feeder. One linear foot of trough per bird in pen is a good rule of thumb. As chicks, that length would be over kill, but as they get older they need it. Of course, if this isn't the only feeder, you can adjust the feeder access space accordingly.

 

[Mamachica]

I am having the same problem but my feeder is only resting on a platform. So hanging it doesn't make much of a difference?