Sparrow feeding problem

[Maggies chickens]

So I recently bought one of those chicken feeders that lifts open when the chicken stands on a platform. I have had a really annoying problem with sparrows and other large birds getting to the chicken food and eating all of it. The problem with this feeder is that my chickens haven’t gotten use to it and it’s been months. They still don’t know how to get feed and they’ll just end up starving themselves. Any advice would be great.

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

You could feed them at a set time every day.

 

[Happy hen lover]

How about putting a brick on it for a little bit so they figure out where food is? Just a thought.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Most pest birds will not go to ground to hop into an enclosed space to get to the feeder.

Can you put a regular feeder into a short shelter that has an access opening for the chickens?

Thinking like at the end of a chicken tunnel....

 

[aart]

The problem with this feeder is that my chickens haven’t gotten use to it and it’s been months. They still don’t know how to get feed

What exact feeder is it(link?)?
What did you do to 'train' them?

 

[Coops Dad]

Sprinkle some feed on the platform to lure the chickens to jump aboard and pop the feeder open.

 

[Maggies chickens]

What exact feeder is it(link?)?
What did you do to 'train' them?

Its the grandpas feeder. And I started by keeping a rock on it so they knew the feed was there and then I lowered the lid a level and put a stopper on it so that the birds could still see the feed but when they stepped on the feeder it went up slightly but didn’t close all the way back down.

 

[Maggies chickens]

I have tried using a brick and sprinkling some food on the feeder but neither of those seem to work. I have a pretty small coop area that would seem hard for birds to get to but they still manage to find a way.

 

[aart]

I have a pretty small coop area that would seem hard for birds to get to but they still manage to find a way.

Is the feeder in the run or the coop?
Post some pics of it all?

 

[Maggies chickens]

Is the feeder in the run or the coop?
Post some pics of it all?