rabbit feeder for chickens

[hillbillygreen]

I just moved my flock to their coop and am setting it all up for them, but I wanted a feeder that lays flat on the door like I did last time and all they had at the store was a rabbit feeder. I'm not sure how different the set up is... it's been too long, but they're already scraping feed out with their beaks into the litter. I thought I'd like to put a piece of wire across the opening to discourage this, but I do have their large duckling friend to accommodate.

Would chicken wire work? This is going to be temporary I think anyway... I just don't want the mess and waste.

 

[Sahwithchicks]

I use rabbit feeders in my Dutch bantams, grow out pens of chicks and turkeys, and for my quail. The black Dutch always spill it all over the place, but their wire is only 1/2 inch of the ground so its not a big deal. The chicks like to make a mess to, the are three feet off the ground, so I have to refill them, but the free ranging chickens eat their spill.

I saw a post a long time ago that someone took a plastic soda can holder (you know the ones that get stuck on birds heads, that you should snip?) that hold together a six pack, and folded it and stretched it over the feeders mouth. They used zip ties or wire wrapped around the bottom of the feeder to hold it in place. Pretty much the same as using 1 inch chicken wire... They said it worked great. Good luck!

 

[hillbillygreen]

Thanks! I'll see what I can find that's like that!