Questions about getting feeder and waterer off the floor

[Hobie Ranch]

Questions from a newbie...

How high should we hang the feeder off the floor of the coop...and will hanging it solve our recent problem of the chickys wasting it all over the floor? They are about 6 months old and they have just started doing this. It's everywhere!

I want to get our galvanized waterer up off the floor, too. Same height as the feeder?

One more question...I'm thinking about fashioning a cover for the feeder? Right now they roost on it and poop inside, but in photos I see of other folks coops I don't see covers. Hmm.

Thanks!

 

[G Wiz Ranch]

Make the water level, the same height of their backs. Assuming the lip of the waterer is not much higher than the water level.

 

[KellyHM]

Hang it so that it's at chest level for the chickens. This helps reduce waste b/c they can't scratch it out. It also helps to keep them from roosting on it b/c they can't get on it without it swinging. Make sure they have normal roosts higher then the feeder. The waterer can be hung at the same height.

 

[Hobie Ranch]

Thank you...we'll get on it!

 

[JENx]

Mine seem to make more mess when it's hanging than on the floor! I don't know what they do!

I've not worked out what's best yet!

There's still a big mess!

 

[joebryant]

For my two coops and the four "coop" areas that we just finished yesterday in the barn, I went to Home Depot and bought several 48-cents-per-foot chains. I hung these from the eight-foot ceiling. I attached a hook to the handles of my feeders so that they would be about 18 inches above the wood chips. I hang the waterers in the two coops the same way.

 

[tstefanick]

We have much less food waste with a hanging feeder than one sitting on the floor. Because it moves when they try to get onto it, they don't like it. Have had NO problems with them pooping in the food since the feeder is hanging. It hangs at about chest height so we have little trouble with scratching and waste, either. We use 12" x 12" stepping pavers in a stack to keep the water up off the floor, otherwise, they just fill it with dirt and straw from the floor. In the winter it sits on a homemade heater which my husband made using one light bulb, wood, and copper. Works great. This year we're due for a new one as the old one has worn out from use. It lasted about 5 years and cost about $5. I think chicken farmers are among the most creative people in the world.

 

[Hobie Ranch]

Thank you all.

Tstefanick - I'm intrigued by the homemade water heater. I just priced them at the feed store and the metal plate ones that go under the water are $60! Can you describe the heater design or have you posted photos of it?? Thanks!

 

[rcentner]

I put plates or pizza pans (foil ones) over the water and food dishes..attach them around the handle or hanging device. then if they roost over and poop it falls on the plate/pan. the chickens don't care about the plates at all.