Pooping in the FEED bin/Roosting on the Font

[cheeptrick]

OK...here is a picture of the culprit! My question is HOW can we stop them from roosting on the font and 'getting in the feeder'? I've got up 3 roosting bars...but only 6 will get on them. The rest huddle in the corner at night. Are these 6 higher in the pecking order? And will roosters dominate the roosting bars? HMMMMMM.............

One for fun...

These are Easter Eggers by the way!

 

[Chelly]

sorry can't help with idea's but that picture sure is FUNNY!

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Tooo funny!!

Loose the handle that you are tying this from. Get a lid from a 5 gallon bucket, and a drill bit about the same size as the rope you are hanging it from. Drill a hole in the bottom of the feeder and in the center of the bucket lid. Feed the string thru the lid then the feeder, knot at the bottom. TADA! I've had to do this to keep the rain out of mine.

 

[silkiechicken]

I would just make a cardboard cone to put over the string and the handles. Kind of like a cone sandwich so that you can keep your current set up. Like add a roof to the thing... do I make any sense?

 

[cheeptrick]

yes...I think I could manage that easily! Is there a concern with the chickens eating their own poop? I know that sounds bad...I clean it out frequently! Also...should I rake out the run? The poop is really starting to pile up! I've got a great compost bin/compost system...got DE coming in the mail soon also. I've been trying to keep it clean...and was concerned all the poop wasn't good for them? Am I worried about nothing?

 

[mudhen]

For a more permanent solution, you can use a squirrel baffle like the kind that go over bird feeders to keep your chickens and their dropping out of the feeder and waterer.

Here's a picture of my 'outhouse'-coop before the girls moved in: