Rabbits Getting into Chick Scratch

[Plantiebee]

Sorry if this is the wrong section but I need some crafty ideas to keep my rabbits from stealing all the chicks food!
The chicks and the rabbits live together in an outside enclosure, each with their own hutch/coop. The chicks have their scratch in a little long try which is covered by metal rails. The rabbits, unhappy they can't freely eat it, flip it over onto the ground and take what they want.
It is annoying and also not so healthy for them! Does anyone else house these 2 animals together and how did you ever have this issue?
I appreciate the advice!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Hopefully your chicks feed is a starter feed and not scratch grains.

 

[Plantiebee]

Hehe yeah it is - sorry - just used the wrong terminology.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

How old are the chicks and how old are the rabbits? Are the chicks LF or bantams?
Depending on age, you could try elevating the feed so the chicks can reach it and the rabbits can't.

 

[Plantiebee]

They are silkie chicks and they are about 6 weeks old. Elevating it sounds interesting, I mean the rabbits are alot bigger than them but if we perhaps somehow fashioned it onto their coop they wouldn't be able to flip it over!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You could stack boards or bricks that the chicks could climb and reach the feed.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

drill through the bottom of it and screw the feeder to a wide board.

G

 

[lazy gardener]

I like G's solution. Raising the feeder will not keep the rabbits out. They are pretty good jumpers. I would either peg the feeder to the ground so the rabbits can't flip it (but they are pretty strong) or put up some rabbit fence that the chicks can fly over. Otherwise, you will have to put a divider between the 2 species.

 

[Plantiebee]

I like G's solution. Raising the feeder will not keep the rabbits out. They are pretty good jumpers. I would either peg the feeder to the ground so the rabbits can't flip it (but they are pretty strong) or put up some rabbit fence that the chicks can fly over. Otherwise, you will have to put a divider between the 2 species.

I would be sad to separate them so I hope drilling it onto a heavy board would be best! They are very good jumpers and have no problems getting up ramps
So I will experiment with that this weekend! Thanks guys

 

[Plantiebee]

Update! We drilled the feeder onto a heavy wooden plank and even though the rabbits have tried...it remains upright *hallelujah* thanks for the advice guys!