Silly question about feeding.

[benchguy57]

So I'm new to back yard chickens, less than a week.
The question I have is should I feed my chicken with a gravity feeder in their coop? Or should I just throw it out in their run?
Thanks for the input.

 

[chikkenfriend]

Welcome, benchguy. We've had our birds about a year and a half. They're loads of fun and a lean, mean egg machine. 29 birds. 9 Barred Plymouth Rocks, 6 Red Stars (sex links), 4 Buff Orpingtons, 1 Black Australorp, 5 Lavender Guineas, 4 white guineas.

Now, feeders. I use gravity feeders inside the coops. My birds like to go in to eat. The shade helps, it's also handy to have a little dinner right before bed.

But the main thing is that it trains them to come home at night. My birds free range. But come dusk and they're all around the feeder for a bedtime meal. It's worked out well for us. Good luck

 

[fshinggrl]

I would not recommend throwing the food on the ground. What happens when it rains? I actually would throw some horse oats out for the chickens when I was a kid and guess what started growing in their pen?! Yep.. Oats! I would suggest some sort of feeder. The one that the previous poster uses is very common and is what I am currently using but I plan on making a different feeder before my new chicken coops is done. I am using a garbage can (13 gallon plastic) but this one uses a 5 gallon bucket. Check out this thread here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...te-5-gallon-25-feed-bucket-feeder-for-about-3 !!

 

[donrae]

I kind do both

I've always just used a gravity feeder and let them have free choice. I also feel scratching and finding food is a very natural behavior that should occupy much of their day, so I toss feed/scratch/scraps out in the run for them to find.

 

[RJSorensen]

Just a quick comment regarding feeder types. I use mash and tube feeders do not seem to work well with or in them. Tube feeders and the home made pvc/bucket feeders work best with pellets and or crumbles. So select your feeder for your preferred feed type.

I feed in the coop as well, and I throw scratch for them to hunt and peck for. Scratch in the coop employes the birds to turn the litter and keep things dry for you. I always figure that the birds could do something to help with their upkeep.

Best to all and your birds,

RJ

 

[benchguy57]

Thanks everyone for the replies.
I'll be building a PVC gravity feeder Sunday.

 

[yyz0yyz0]

Thanks everyone for the replies.
I'll be building a PVC gravity feeder Sunday.

just a slight warning about the PVC feeders, a couple weeks ago there was a post somewhere on here about two chickens that got stuck in the PVC feeder and died. I tried to locate the post but can find it at this time. I think the OP assumed that the feed level got low and a chicken wormed into the PVC pipe and another tried to follow into the pipe getting stuck as well.

Just an FYI

 

[benchguy57]

Thanks for that.
I'll have to make the openings a little smaller.