Trough or automatic feeders??

[Sierra Hughes]

My chickens are in a 18x18 run.. the left over food is attracting a insane amount of bugs.

= wasted food! Moisture gets in it through the night, mud, and even rain that somehow blows into the food.

What are thoughts on troughs? Or maybe throwing food in a bowl type thing for them to eat out of. I can even feed in the morning and at night? Not sure.

Any advice would be great!

 

[JaeG]

I have plastic trays my girls fermented feed goes in. I like feeding the fermented stuff as they don't scoop any out with their beaks like they seem to with dry stuff. And you put out what they'll eat in a day and maybe give a few scraps or treats at the end of the day. It takes a little while to work out how much to put out but I've got it down to a fine art now.

 

[User395221]

I just got a treadle feeder for my big girls. It's been great so far. It's been raining and none of the kibble inside got wet. I'm hoping it'll discourage mice from getting in.

The little girls have bucket feeders. They are also weatherproof and they don't seem to waste the feed because they stick their heads inside a tube to eat inside the bucket and the kibble pretty much stays in there. Not so good at keeping out mice.

I'm happy with both. They can just help themselves as they want.

 

[blackdog043]

I made the 5 gallon no waste feeder.

 

[User395221]

I made the 5 gallon no waste feeder.

That's the type of bucket feeder I have for my bantams. They are very good.

This is the treadle feeder I recently bought.
http://feedomatic.com/
http://feedomatic.com/
I recommend both types. They'd really improve your situation, OP. When I had the "normal" type feeders (the hopper on top that discharges into a tray on the bottom), the chooks would pull all the kibble out and chuck it all over. They don't just eat it neatly from the tray. It was really annoying watching them throw it about, then kick dirt over so it was wasted. Because they can't throw the food out, it stays inside in the bucket feeder. No mess everywhere. Ditto with the treadle.

 

[AnnieSantiago]

I just got a treadle feeder for my big girls. It's been great so far. It's been raining and none of the kibble inside got wet. I'm hoping it'll discourage mice from getting in.

The little girls have bucket feeders. They are also weatherproof and they don't seem to waste the feed because they stick their heads inside a tube to eat inside the bucket and the kibble pretty much stays in there. Not so good at keeping out mice.

I'm happy with both. They can just help themselves as they want.

What brand treadle feeder did you buy?

 

[User395221]

What brand treadle feeder did you buy?

Link in post #5

 

[AnnieSantiago]

Same as the one I bought I think