Rationing feed?

[Al Gerhart]

Does it have an actual spring on the top right corner that holds the door tightly closed? It might be one of my feeders and if so we have videos on our website and on Youtube that shows how to fix just about anything that can go wrong with one of our feeders. Post a picture of the feeder if you have one.

 

[centrarchid]

I ration feed to birds that held singly for much the same reason as needed for rodent management. You can also apply to an elevated surface the chickens can fly up to. The wetted / fermented feed approach can help, but like with use of dry forms of feed, there will be residue they chickens can not clean up that will still interest rats.

To control fines / dust left by chickens, I use a pelleted feeds mixed with course particulate items like whole (not milled grains). The chickens are highly motivated to clean those items up.

 

[BReeder!]

I do not ration feed. I keep the feeder full and let them eat as much as they want. Same for the waterer. I have recently placed a flock block in the coop as well, letting them have practically unlimited access to scratch as well. I do ration fermented feed when we make it (not fermenting in the winter), but that's just because they are limited by the size of my fermentation containers. They still get dry feed unlimited in addition to the fermented feed. I find that with unlimited access and some variety they eat their fill and do not gorge themselves. When we did ration their feed at first by providing just so much each morning, I found that they would eat every last crumb no matter how much extra I put out.