What do you use for outdoor feeders?

[CelticOaksFarm]

Karla that's cool, as I said good for chickens (as you use them for). Since this is posted in the duck area suggestions have been duck oriented.

We don't use runs, everyone free ranges here, so covered structures for feed work great. We just built a new one for the goats too for their hay. Since we live on an island in FL with almost daily rain in the summers covered feed stations are a must since we don't want to pen the flocks. We do use hanging style feeders & waters for the chickens, again under cover though. No need to waste feed to rain.

 

[karlamaria]

Karla that's cool, as I said good for chickens (as you use them for). Since this is posted in the duck area suggestions have been duck oriented.
We don't use runs, everyone free ranges here, so covered structures for feed work great. We just built a new one for the goats too for their hay. Since we live on an island in FL with almost daily rain in the summers covered feed stations are a must since we don't want to pen the flocks. We do use hanging style feeders & waters for the chickens, again under cover though. No need to waste feed to rain.

oops sorry hon, I guess I did not see what erea this was, please forgive me

 

[beardiemom]

We just made a small cover for our feed pans, so they don't get wet. The chickens hop the fence and eat anything that is left over in the afternoon. We remove the pans at bedtime and put them in a metal garbage pail to keep them safe from rodents.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Karla no worries, figured out we were talking poultry, but not the same species lol

 

[billw]

(Heh. I used what I consider a pretty mild word, but I guess BYC doesn't approve. I'll leave it to your imagination, since pretty much any substitution works just as well.)

We have developed a saying: The ducks don't give a ****.

Pen is a giant mud puddle? Ducks don't give a ****.

Didn't get around to mucking out the old straw today? Ducks don't give a ****.

Pond water is dirty? Ducks don't give a ****.

Et cetera.

Unlike other creatures that become miserable, or worse, sick, under such conditions, the ducks seem happy and healthy no matter what we do.

We used to have plastic feed bowls. Every morning and evening, we would have to wash them because the ducks would junk them up. Plus, no sooner would they be filled than the ducks scattered the food, tipped them over, and crapped in them, not necessarily in that order.

So, our solution has been to just dump the food on pavers scattered around the pen. Guess what? We don't have to wash anything and the ducks don't give a ****.

We feed twice a day and only as much as the ducks can clean up in about ten minutes, so we can get away with that. If you needed the food to be available longer, obviously wet food could become a problem.

 

[Going Quackers]

(Heh. I used what I consider a pretty mild word, but I guess BYC doesn't approve. I'll leave it to your imagination, since pretty much any substitution works just as well.)

We have developed a saying: The ducks don't give a ****.

Pen is a giant mud puddle? Ducks don't give a ****.

Didn't get around to mucking out the old straw today? Ducks don't give a ****.

Pond water is dirty? Ducks don't give a ****.

Et cetera.

Unlike other creatures that become miserable, or worse, sick, under such conditions, the ducks seem happy and healthy no matter what we do.

We used to have plastic feed bowls. Every morning and evening, we would have to wash them because the ducks would junk them up. Plus, no sooner would they be filled than the ducks scattered the food, tipped them over, and crapped in them, not necessarily in that order.

So, our solution has been to just dump the food on pavers scattered around the pen. Guess what? We don't have to wash anything and the ducks don't give a ****.

We feed twice a day and only as much as the ducks can clean up in about ten minutes, so we can get away with that. If you needed the food to be available longer, obviously wet food could become a problem.

Oh i know they adore mess, fortunately while there are some muddy areas in their pen it's still mostly grassy, this is a 1/3 of acre field i sectioned off for them. I have debated just throwing it all on the ground and being done BUT in winter that is not realistic... the snow would bury the feed, your paver idea is a good one though! in better weather times i can see that being effective.

 

[Going Quackers]

We just made a small cover for our feed pans, so they don't get wet. The chickens hop the fence and eat anything that is left over in the afternoon. We remove the pans at bedtime and put them in a metal garbage pail to keep them safe from rodents.

Love it! and i may just steal the design/idea. They have ruined the one covered wood feeder by hopping ontop so now it needs a rebuild.. this seems like a more practical solution basically a covered patio lol

 

[Going Quackers]

oops sorry hon, I guess I did not see what erea this was, please forgive me

No worries! actually that may be an option for the chicken pen!

 

[HauiBali]

It is good also if they want to stand somewhere from the cold wind or snow - this roof is made from pallets, and there is heated water* in the red bucket (its wire is inside the hose):




(a 14W aquarium heater is not nearly enough to keep thje water unfrozen, so I don't recommend all the hassle - a bucket of hot water with ACV at breakfast and for the supper is better than all this electric magic.)

 

[Sonny42408]

I just use regular dog food bowls, filling them 3/4's full, then topping off with water to make a crumble porridge with. Moist feed is easier for them to eat, plus they tend not to waste as much feed that way, and they can even eat the dust left in the bottom of the bag that way. I just throw whole shell corn in the grass for them to hunt around for as they meander around all day. Plus it tends to hide it from the wild birds better.
I know pretty much how hungry they are and don't overfill their bowls, but Muscovy ducks are good at picking up spilled feed and what they don't get, the wild birds do.