My chicken keeps wasting food at an insane rate

[Chickensarecool123]

Someone already mentioned it, but she's being a picky eater. Mine do this with kalmbach layer pellets exclusively since they're spoilt and I didn't realize it has corn or soy. We have a better (but much more expensive feed) which we give them enough of, and then extras are in the kalmbach form since it isn't going to use itself! Either way, they'll eventually finish the kalmbach and then I'll feed them more in the same ratios as before but less feed if they finish by a certain time. I'd take away the feeder and give her exclusively what she needs to eat. Do not give her more until she finishes it. She doesn't have a form of competition for food and it's unlimited so she's picking at things. May I ask what feed you currently use?

Im currently trying to switch her to the Purina grower, from her Purina chick food, kind of going good so far

 

[Chickensarecool123]

I gave her a decent amount of food for today in the one she was using before since she couldn’t rlly eat in that one, today she was good so far using her old feeder didnt waste any, but it’ll have to do till i get her a new feeder

 

[Chickensarecool123]

Every 4-6 hours I replace the chick feed with a fresh batch.I fill an ice tray 1/2 full of all flock pellets then add water

I might have to try this lol

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

Im currently trying to switch her to the Purina grower, from her Purina chick food, kind of going good so far

If you're switching, I'd expect around 1-2 ounces of wasted food per bird. Just like humans, they have tastebuds and if they don't try it, they won't like it for a while. Turning it in to a wet mash can help because it makes them get used to all the flavors. Make sure to offer the wet mash in an easy to clean container with only some feed and fill as needed to prevent the risk of molding. My birds will mash up the kalmbach pellets and leave all the corn out and about, but I like to look at it on the positive that they know what's good for them.

 

[thecatumbrella]

For some backstory she’s 17 weeks and i put some oats in her food less then a handful maybe like 1/4 of a handful, and she ate food so i did it again, BIG MISTAKE! For the past 3 days she’s wasted SO MUCH FOOD, I’m currently switching her to a new all flock (main difference is it has 2% more protein) anyways- im not sure if its the new food or the oats but she keeps, i forgot the name but its when a chicken is looking for a certain piece of food in some grain- except i believe its it oats my chicken is looking for

Sorry, I didn't read the whole thread, but I had to chime in on this.

I once mixed a handful of grubs into my chickens' 10lb hanging feeder, thinking it would be fun for them to find one here and there. They beaked THE ENTIRE THING looking for those grubs! Lesson learned.

 

[Chickensarecool123]

Sorry, I didn't read the whole thread, but I had to chime in on this.

I once mixed a handful of grubs into my chickens' 10lb hanging feeder, thinking it would be fun for them to find one here and there. They beaked THE ENTIRE THING looking for those grubs! Lesson learned.

This is practically what happened for me but with oats -sob-

 

[McChooky]

I might have to try this lol

It only takes a minute to switch out an empty tray with clean tray of mash. Cleanest brooder I've had in years.They are barely touching the dry feed but they are eating some(its the same feed).