mason jar chicken feeders, how to refill without spilling?

[chicken_smitten]

I'm an extreme chicken newbie, 3 days to be exact. I'm using a mason jar chicken feeder and haven't had to refill it yet. I don't know how to open it up without the feed getting everywhere. I don't want to wait until the level is below the glass before I fill it and risk having them run out of food while i'm at work.

I'm sure you veterans are getting a chuckle out of my silly question. Hopefully i'm not the first one who couldn't figure this out.

 

[suzeqf]

i have one and this is what i do i have a old mixing bowl and i turn the feeder upside down over the bowl and take the bottom off and let the food fall into the bowl and then empty the jar into the bowl and if there isn't anything nasty in it other than a few shavings i pick them out and pour the food back into the jar and add more feed and grit and then screw the bottom back on and then turn it over while still over the bowl and what spills out i usually sprinkle in their brooder so they can scratch for it

 

[chicken_smitten]

Now I feel stupid. Why didn't I think of that?

I've learned alot from reading here and am sure I will learn so much more. It was kinda scary bringing tiny little chicks home to care for but knew I could find the answer to any problems here.

Thanks so much!

CS

 

[TouchO'Lass]

Yeah, what suzeq said!

Until mine were a few weeks, I just filled the bottom part and covered the jar opening with a plastic lid (dog food can cover). I seemed to waste less that way, because I was just tossing what got pooped in anyway (background of pic). I fill it twice a day, and they always have a little left over...

G'luck!

 

[chicken_smitten]

I seemed to waste less that way, because I was just tossing what got pooped in anyway

I have a problem with them pooping in their water and their food. I read a post where someone said to use a piece of 2x6 cut into sections to place under the feeder. I don't want to buy a piece of lumber and am trying to figure out what I have around the house to raise them about an inch or so.

CS​

 

[Ms.Frizzle]

Cardboard?

 

[suzeqf]

i've tried everything to keep the shavings out i have mine up on bricks it helps with the poo but they get shavings in their water if they are doing some major scratching so i now have put their water/feed at the far end of the brooder and put just enough shavings around them to deal with the poo and any spilled water and this seems to help at lot

 

[chickensinwasillaAK]

Mine were scratching shavings into the water so I showed them who was smarter. I pulled out the water, laid down paper towels, spread very few shavings on top of that, placed a 2x6 down and the water on top of that. If they start scratching, they hit the paper towel and stop. No shaving in the water anymore.

 

[Mtn Margie]

A pie tin flipped over works to raise things about an inch. If they are perching on the water dish and pooping in it, make a cone out of a cereal box and slide it over the waterer. They can't perch on it then.

 

[TouchO'Lass]

You can't quite see it in the pic, but I took an empty whipped cream plastic bowl, turned it over and taped it to the bottom of the feeder. I cut the bowl off to where it was just at their backs, and after I put the pine shavings in, I just nestle it into the dust some.

The water is on a 2x4 chunk, but I'm going to try the bowl thing with it too, because they're getting so big and fill it with shavings constantly!