Why Bother to Use a Food Feeder?

[Stephanie739]

The chick feeder in this picture is made to fit a Mason Jar to hold more feed and then they can't stand and eat out of the large center hole.

Yes! The guy at the farm store told me that. I haven't had any real reason to do it yet. Maybe my chicks are just well behaved

 

[fried green eggs]

Ok. Glad you have neat little chicks. As they grow they will eat more & faster so the mason jar hopper will come in need. LOL

 

[PNWGirl]

I use the red chick feeder and red chick waterer (like what you bought). While they are in the brooder I have a small box, that I put the pine shavings in, and the rest of the area a rubber mat (like you would use in cabinets- solid, no hole, kind) with papertowels on top of that.

Since going to this, I get very little shavings in the water and feeder, although I clean both every night before I put them to bed. With the feeder, I only pull out the occassional droppings and a few shavings. The waterer has only been a few shavings but I still clean it.

I did start them with shavings all over their brooder but this has been so much better! They 'nest' in the box with the shavings and come out to eat/drink and eat the grit. And if their chirps are any indication, they like this much better too.

Sheila

 

[Coopini]

I liked the feeder but had to tape a toilet paper roll to the top ( I didn't have the kind with a jar) so that they wouldn't poop in their food so much.

 

[Roxannemc]

I have one of the silver ones, I usually just use one of the bottoms of the quart waterers when I first get them though, so that they can learn. With the silver one I found a gigantic mason jar, so I put that on top and that holds them over for a long time.

I figure, even if I'm going to loose the fight, I might as well try *sigh*.

Ah yes now i see your problem!!LIke FriedGreen Eggs said ...You need to raise it onto a brick to keep it higher out of the shavings but wher they can stick their head in it..Water toLDER I put my water on a large butter container closed filled with water so it wouldnt tip then put the water thing on it.
When Tiny it was on a brick too.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

At about 3 weeks I have to move them to a bigger shelter, and I just use a 3 gallon water like I use for the big girls. That has enough of a lip that they don't get it to dirty. I did end up putting a lot of paper towels under the waterer to keep everything dry.

 

[JohnBerry]

The feeder needs to be higher. Some shavings will always get in but far fewer if it is higher. I put mine high enough for them to just barely stick their heads in. It seems too high at first glance but they get the food just fine. And they will grow so fast that the height will change often.

 

[TXchickmum]

I lined our brooders with soft white bath towels (which made mountains of laundry for me), but the feed and water didn't get dirty. Any feed that was scratched out onto the towels was quickly consumed. The waterer was washed and sanitized each morning. (only had to rinse it out during the day if any droppings fell into there) Towels worked very well and eliminated the issues with shavings. The chicks loved the fresh, warm towels from the dryer!

 

[bcmama]

My water is on a brick but I don't know about your chicks but they kick those shavings high. It still gets filled. I' thinking that it will just be the way it is until they move outside. My new food dish with the container and little holes, well I will need to put that on a brick because they proceeded to empty it out by scratching at it. I think they just prefer to eat off the ground. Never really heard of chickens being civilized.

 

[fried green eggs]

I lined our brooders with soft white bath towels (which made mountains of laundry for me), but The chicks loved the fresh, warm towels from the dryer!

Talk about Pampered Pets!