Reduce wasted feed?

[jimk]

This is my first time brooding chicks. We picked up 6 3-day olds from a local hatchery and they are doing great. Unfortunately, we seem to be going through a lot of feed. We have one of those round galvanized metal feeders that attaches to a quart jar. I'm refilling basically every day, but it looks like most of that is just getting raked out into their bedding. I know some of this will go away with age as they get better feeding, but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to reduce the amount of wasted feed. Or, how long should I expect it to be before they start getting a little neater? If its a skill they get within a week or so, I can probably just leave well enough alone.
Thanks!

 

[nhnanna]

I noticed if I don't fill it up completely and just keep checking and add more as needed, they don't waste as much. I don't fill up the tray and the whole jar anymore. Hope this helps.

 

[felidaet]

I tried using one of those feeders last year. I found if the jar was filled they would waste a lot. I quit using the jar and it got better . I switched to the long metal type a few days latter and had much less waste. I have heard of some people putting these round feeders in a pie tin. The food is spilled into the tin and they eat it. I have not tried it. I am going to need an additional feeder this year (more chicks than last year) and so I might try this before I rush out to buy another of the long type since I already have this feeder sitting on a shelf.

 

[kcfuerst]

Raise the feeder up so they have to reach for their food. Put it on a block of wood, something that will make it high enough they won't spill. When they grow up, keep raising their food until only their heads can get over the edge to eat. Saves a lot of feed.

 

[onthespot]

I put mine on top of a pie tin or a plastic lid and what gets beaked out gets pecked back up by greedy chicks.

 

[Gonzo]

I've tried all kinds of things, and mine are just mess eaters. I'm thinking about building a little stand from 4x4's with wire mesh over it to sit the feeder on, and have something underneat that so the food my little slobs sling about will fall through and land in. And whatever I put under there will be able to allow me to pour their mess back into the feeder. Make Sense? I'm horrible at trying to explain my ideas!

 

[countrychickengirl]

I put a block in the brooder to raise the feeder and it has worked out well, but the chicks still scratch the food out into the litter, just not as much as before.

 

[schmije]

We put our feeder in a pan, and it catches almost all the spilled feed. When the jar gets empty, I pick the bedding and poop out of the feed in the pan (a plastic spoon works great for this) and then pour it back into the jar. It makes a huge difference in how much feed they go through.