Wood chips in food and water

[peckinghampalace]

Hi, our chicken run’s ground is covered in wood chips as in the winter it gets muddy and I have a couple of hens with feathered feet. A couple of hens in my flock love to forage which is really good to see. But on the other hand, they are kicking wood chips into the food and water. They like to kick the wood chips right next to the food and water no matter where I position it in the run. I’ve tried elevating it slightly but some have a good kick and can kick them really quite far. Since we’ve been in lockdown, I have been able to clean the food and water regularly (if I leave it, the wood chips cover the food and they absorb all the water so on hot days they have none left). We’re now going away for just a single night this weekend and later on in the summer for a couple more nights. I will be able to get someone to come in and check their food, water and clean their poo but they can only come in once a day. Does anyone have any suggestions of ways to stop the wood chips from being in their food and water. It’s kind of an important question as they can get dehydrated really fast.

 

[donddon]

I suspend my feeders and waterers. Even my silkie can get to drink water 9 inches off the ground.

 

[neo71665]

Water nipples for water

No waste feeder for feed
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...lon-25-feed-bucket-feeder-for-about-3.834227/

 

[lps1215]

I have a hanging feeder and use a 5 gallon bucket with a screw on lid with poultry nipples to keep any dirt or shavings out of the water. You can order the poultry nipples off of amazon.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Raise them more then slightly.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Feeder and waterer access can be as high as the chicken's backs (even higher for nipple waterers) so suspend them, put 'em up on concrete blocks or overturned pots, whatever it takes to get them more than a couple inches off the ground.