Pooping in starter crumble

[CluckyCharms]

Our chicks are on medicated starter and doing very well - they're a day old and are eating and drinking by themselves.

One problem - they are hopping into their feeder, placing their butts over the holes where the feed is stored and pooping in the holes. No...I'm not kidding.

Surely eating their own feces can't be good for them - but I also have to get to bed sometime before the next ice age.

Should I take their food out when I sleep and put it back when I'm awake and able to remove the poop from their food on a routine basis?

Why are they pooping in their food?? And it's almost like they're doing it on purpose. I mean...they're taking the time to hop on the feeder, turn around, poop in it..and hop back off. Do they think it's a litter box or something?

Additionally, they are pecking each other in the eyeballs!! I'm scared chickless that I'm going to wake up with eyeballs in the bedding and chicks missing eyeballs.

 

[AlicesSilkies]

Hahahaa scared chickless...

My chicks did exactly the same, i bought i nice posh feeder and they pooped through the holes too...and people say they arent clever!
So i put the chick starter on a plate.

 

[CluckyCharms]

Thank you. =) I did that and it's in there now. They're not pooping on it, but all 4 of them are fast asleep in the middle of their food dish - can we say gluttonous?

Thanks for the idea...wonder if I should give up on the elongated food dish with holes and buy a bunch of tea light candles.

 

[alisar]

I'm using one of those silo bird feeders for parakeets. They are still scratching some food out but not too bad.