What do you put the treats in?

[The Kibble Goddess]

Not really a germaphobe, it just seems so heartless to throw their food on the ground. I guess this is just a 'people' thing and not a 'chicken' thing.

 

[JulieNKC]

Most of their treats get thrown in the run. They seem to prefer being able to scratch for it. Some of it goes in a hubcap in the coop for my silkies who haven't gotten big or brave enough to venture out in the run yet. It ususally takes about 30 seconds for one to hop in and try to scratch the food out of the bowl.
My one year old baby seems to prefer her food dropped on the ground too, so I figure it can't hurt the chickens, lol.

 

[moonlyghtegirl]

Pie tins mainly, I also have some cage cups I have attached around the run, I use those mostly for the goopy stuff. Hard treats (seeds, corn, bread) I just toss in so they have another reason to scratch and fluff up the shavings for me.

 

[wood&feathers]

Right now I am throwing bird seed into a weed choked area behind my house. In scratching and digging for the seed I hope the flock will thin and grub up the honeysuckle and briars so I can finish the job come spring.

Every afternoon I mix up some layer ration and Flock Conditioner in an old cottage cheese container. I spread some around on planks in the coop, then sit with the rest in the bowl on my lap. In order of rank the hens sit in my lap to eat their fill. I can use the time to check them over for injuries or "hitch hikers".

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

For my chickens and turkeys i put their food in plastic bowls i buy at the 99 cent store. You get four for 99 cents. For my ducks i use the plastic shoe boxes from the 99 cent store. Generally treats get eaten so fast there isn't time for them to spill them.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Yeah, they seem to prefer to be able to scratch for treats on the ground. It gives them something to do also, scratching around for that last little bit. For more fun, I will change up the area where I scatter their morning scratch. I've watched the birds check one place, then another, in order until they find where I've put their treats that day.

 

[cabincrazyone]

I would think a cheap plastic doggie dish, the kind that has the sides taper down and out to a large "footprint"... made for not tipping over ... would be the clear rig ... except they'll still step in it.

 

[Hound]

They're chickens!!! They find most of their food on/in the ground!

 

[HeritageHens]

Quote:
If you are referring to my "hygenic" comment, what I was meaning was something I can clean because they get things like their beloved yogurt and soups in addition to the solid leftovers which can be thrown in the run. Germaphobe is the LAST word anyone would use to describe me.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
If you are referring to my "hygenic" comment, what I was meaning was something I can clean because they get things like their beloved yogurt and soups in addition to the solid leftovers which can be thrown in the run. Germaphobe is the LAST word anyone would use to describe me.

No, actually I was referring to the OPs comment about it being unsanitary. At any rate, I meant no offense to anyone. Honest.

When I first started with chickens I was absolutely spastic about keeping everything in their enviroment spotless, then I saw them eating things - such as the aforementioned cow pie - that made me re-think my keeping of them.

For messy stuff, I use the old metal dishpan and it does get washed daily. I pick it up as I'm locking the chickens up for the night and bring it in to wash. My main reason for doing this is I also use it as a slop pan. Any table scraps from our evening meal go into it and then are taken out to the chickens in the morning. Solid things - vegetable peelings, bits of bread, etc., - get thrown out to them whenever I happen to be going out towards their yards.