Suggestions for a new feeder

[spayne]

I have the classic hanging feeder (holds about 7 lbs) in the coop. I thought my chicks were eating a lot of food since i was refilling it everyday. But i noticed when i was raking the shavings around there is 10 lbs or more of feed on the floor. What kind of feeder can i get to prevent all of this wasted feed on the floor? Thanks!

 

[Puck-Puck]

My feeder isn't 100% waste-free, but it seems to work fairly well at reducing waste. It's a plastic bucket with a lid, sitting upright on (screwed to) a slightly broader lid with a lip on it, which is the tray they eat off. I have drilled a series of holes around the very bottom of the bucket, just large enough for beaks and large kernels of feed. Inside the bucket is a cardboard cone that directs the feed toward the edges and the holes, away from the unreachable middle. There isn't much poo problem with the feed tray, either, even though the lid is flat: they like to sit on the lid handle, and their bums don't reach over the edge. You could put a conical lid on to keep them from roosting on it altogether. The whole feeder assembly is sitting on stacked bricks to keep it well above the level of the bedding.

I think the buckets and lids were from restaurant-size tubs for margarine, soup stock, mayo, etc. You could probably work this idea with those oh-so-common plastic 5-gallon pails, as well.

 

[One Acre Wonder Farm]

How old are your chicks? Are they eating mash, crumbles or pellets? Very young chicks will be wasteful no matter what you do; it can't really be helped.

I noticed that there was a lot of waste with mash and crumbles so I switched to pellets and there is very little waste.

 

[trilyn]

Is it high enough? It should be hung so that the feeder is just above the chickens back, they'll be able to reach in and grab it, but they can't get their feet in to scratch it out. Mine are funny, they get so mad about not being able to scratch in their feed, they scratch all the shavings into a perfect circle around their feeders! lol Hope this helps. Also if you're feeding mash, maybe try pellets-this way even if it falls out, they'll scratch around in the shavings to get the pellets. It's a natural function for them to scratch for their food so they'll definitely eat it up if it falls out.

BTW

from NY!

 

[fordmommy]

Sorry I don't have an answer for you. I am looking for a better feeder myself. I thought I could get some ideas from here.

 

[weaveagarden]

I saw just the thing yesterday in a topic. Can't remember who had it. But the image name was feeder jugs. Orange like Homer Buckets, and Filtered water 5 or 3 gallon buckets inside. I will keep trying to find the place that I saw it.

Update: Found the link: http://toolmakingart.com/2008/06/10/chicken-feeders/

The topic I read yesterday talked about suspending them so that the chicken could just get their head in to eat. That way they ate in the jug and not outside of it. Feed stays inside better.