Messy Girls

[onelovedove]

ok so my hens are constantly tipping their water over which makes for a huge mess. Also they're spilling tons of food which also makes for a huge mess but also is making me spend more on feed! They were born 4/8/15 so they're still in the brooder. Any advice?!

 

[HighStreetCoop]

I used the nipple bottle caps you can buy from The Chicken Fountain for exactly this reason and I gave up on a feeder in the brooder and just used a bowl.

 

[onelovedove]

I used the nipple bottle caps you can buy from The Chicken Fountain for exactly this reason and I gave up on a feeder in the brooder and just used a bowl.

Using a bowl doesn't make matters worse??

 

[donrae]

Elevate your feeder on bricks or blocks of wood. If it's about the height of their back, even so they have to stretch some, they'll spill a lot less.

And keep in mind spilled feed is not wasted. Chickens eat off the ground just fine. Don't be so quick to refill that feeder. Spending time scratching through the bedding finding food gives them something to do and is a very natural behavior.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Quote:
Nope. I used a flat-bottomed rubber bowl from the feed store. Worked great. And now I use a treadle feeder with a "billing" guard.

 

[tsmith91]

The nipple waterers will work as far as the spilled water I put some chicken wire over the bottom of my feeder then put the top back on and trimmed the excess off they have to peck at the feed now instead of raking it out with their beak I've not seen any waste since doing this