My chicken keeps wasting food at an insane rate

[FarmerGirl101]

It’s the stereo typical chick feeder, getting a new one just looking for it

If it is a 1 quart chick feeder then it likely is too small for her in terms of feed volume causing you to need to refill it a lot. They also tend to be a little messy when you have chicks as they love to scratch in it so I can't imagine that helps with an older bird. Just make sure you find a low or no mess feeder as you'll have the same issue with her scratching it around then it falling out.

Regarding feeding wet. It honestly isn't worth the hassle or trouble. I personally feed dry and I give them a mash as a special treat whenever I'm home.

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

I practice measuring out around 1/2 pound of food per bird including treats and scattering it. I don't know how small your feeder is, but she should be eating around that much at that age. If she doesn't finish it by 5-6 pm and you give it to her early morning, then reduce the amount until she does and you can give her more if she needs more. I do use this in combination with a pvc pipe feeder that is full-access but mostly they only use if I'm extra groggy in the mornings. Yes my chickens have treats in this feeder. No, they don't spill anything on the ground nor are they able to pick for treats.

Also make sure 90% of her diet is a balanced feed. The combined treats should not exceed this

 

[rosemarythyme]

Using a cheap feeder as I haven’t found a good one looking for one now, i have fed a different feed wet not sure how I’d do that in the long run

Doesn't have to be anything more complicated than water + pellet/crumble in a ramekin or cat food bowl. With just one bird she won't need much. You can use a dry feeder for the remainder of the day, but I would not refill it until all food is eaten, and I would upgrade from a chick size feeder - a 17 week is NOT a chick and can get stuck with the small openings of a chick feeder.

 

[McChooky]

Using a cheap feeder as I haven’t found a good one looking for one now, i have fed a different feed wet not sure how I’d do that in the long run

Chewy has Kalmbach all flock pellet 20% protein on sale. 50 Lbs 14.99 If you are new and sign up for auto ship the first time. I feed it to my chicks and chickens both as a mash. Its $22.99 without auto ship.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Seems like 50# for a single chicken might be wasteful. It would take her so long to eat it, much of it might go moldy or stale before she finished it all? Unless you could keep most of it in the freezer, maybe divide it into bags and use a week's worth at a time. That would keep rats and mice out of it, too. Just thinking out loud here ...

 

[Chickensarecool123]

I practice measuring out around 1/2 pound of food per bird including treats and scattering it. I don't know how small your feeder is, but she should be eating around that much at that age. If she doesn't finish it by 5-6 pm and you give it to her early morning, then reduce the amount until she does and you can give her more if she needs more. I do use this in combination with a pvc pipe feeder that is full-access but mostly they only use if I'm extra groggy in the mornings. Yes my chickens have treats in this feeder. No, they don't spill anything on the ground nor are they able to pick for treats.

Also make sure 90% of her diet is a balanced feed. The combined treats should not exceed this

Not sure if she’s even eating that much i just typically see a lot of food on the ground and when i see her eat i just see her scatter food everywhere :/

 

[Chickensarecool123]

Seems like 50# for a single chicken might be wasteful. It would take her so long to eat it, much of it might go moldy or stale before she finished it all? Unless you could keep most of it in the freezer, maybe divide it into bags and use a week's worth at a time. That would keep rats and mice out of it, too. Just thinking out loud here ...

oh did i not say its only a 5 pound bag, and her feeder only holds a quart? Must not have mentioned that sorry~

 

[Chickensarecool123]

Doesn't have to be anything more complicated than water + pellet/crumble in a ramekin or cat food bowl. With just one bird she won't need much. You can use a dry feeder for the remainder of the day, but I would not refill it until all food is eaten, and I would upgrade from a chick size feeder - a 17 week is NOT a chick and can get stuck with the small openings of a chick feeder.

I definitely agree, the one she is currently using is an open one, when she was 6 weeks or smth i remember only her beak went in the feeders im currently looking at this one feeder from TSC does this look good for her?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

oh did i not say its only a 5 pound bag, and her feeder only holds a quart? Must not have mentioned that sorry~

Sorry, I was responding to someone else. I shoud have quoted them, my bad.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I definitely agree, the one she is currently using is an open one, when she was 6 weeks or smth i remember only her beak went in the feeders im currently looking at this one feeder from TSC does this look good for her?View attachment 4210751

Maybe try hanging it or putting it up on blocks so the feed is at her chest height?