Messy eaters!

[Kanga77510]

Anyone have tips for dealing with the mess that chicks create when they eat? Mine are in a nursery pen with my good broody hen.

I've tired many different feeding devices and the result is almost always the same. I've tried a hanging "barrel" type (like my big girls use, but smaller), a rabbit style feeder, and a plastic device that screws into a round feeding base. Those babies are horrible about knocking things over, spilling food, etc.

I can't fill up the food fast enough before they go and knock it over again. I'm going nuts!

 

[scriptkiddie]

We had a similar experience. I found it weird that it was always the same chick that would knock the feeder over. Oddly, she never touched the water dish. I started flicking her away from the feeder because I had no other idea but I started watching the chicks and they didn't seem to mind eating their mash off the floor, in fact they got pretty good at picking through the pine shavings. I wonder if it was some instinct to teach the birds to forage for food.

 

[jadenthechicken]

I just hatched some chicks mtself and they do the same thing, It is an instinct for them to scratch for food so it is better when your broody hen hatches them its better to put the food on the ground so they can feel more comfortable and learn more from scraching. it also helps keep there toenails from over growing.