- Aug 29, 2014
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Would be grateful for ideas about how to place feeders so both my chickens will feel comfortable using them. I have two hens, Odile (pita pinta, lead hen) and Medora (light Brahma, timid). A couple of weeks ago, Medora starting acting lethargic. I took her to the vet, who gave her antibiotics but couldn't find anything obviously wrong with her except that she is thin.
Medora is now doing a little better after some antibiotics and me spending a lot of time feeding her with my supervision (eggs, veggies, yogurt), but I don't think she's eating from the feeder the way she should be.
A friend mentioned that perhaps Medora is having trouble visiting the feeder because Odile is intimidating her. I am not sure why this would suddenly have become a problem, since until a few weeks ago, I would see Medora eating at the feeder with no problem. But I wonder if that is going on, especially since I don't really see Medora using the feeder lately as much as she used to. Or maybe Medora did have some kind of illness and it made her less strong and therefore less brave about using the feeder than she had been, and now she's gotten into the habit of not eating as much from the feeder? Medora doesn't seem generally all that afraid of Odile -- when I put out their dishes of eggs, or offer kale, Medora will barrel up and even try to take what I'm offering Odile. But something about the feeders is causing trouble -- she is just not emptying the feeder at the rate she used to. She is a large bird and should be eating a lot of feed -- she used to.
I am at a loss as to how to place the feeders (I added another one) so that both hens will use them comfortably. My run has a smaller section and a larger section, with a hallway connecting them. I tried having one feeder in each section, but that didn't do anything, so then I put both in the larger section of the run, so that they can both eat, and be near each other, but not feel penned in by the other hen. But I am not sure that's working either. I do see Medora visiting the feeder sometimes, but not like she was before. I still don't know what all is going on, but if I can situate the feeders to get her to use them more, it would be helpful.
Medora is now doing a little better after some antibiotics and me spending a lot of time feeding her with my supervision (eggs, veggies, yogurt), but I don't think she's eating from the feeder the way she should be.
A friend mentioned that perhaps Medora is having trouble visiting the feeder because Odile is intimidating her. I am not sure why this would suddenly have become a problem, since until a few weeks ago, I would see Medora eating at the feeder with no problem. But I wonder if that is going on, especially since I don't really see Medora using the feeder lately as much as she used to. Or maybe Medora did have some kind of illness and it made her less strong and therefore less brave about using the feeder than she had been, and now she's gotten into the habit of not eating as much from the feeder? Medora doesn't seem generally all that afraid of Odile -- when I put out their dishes of eggs, or offer kale, Medora will barrel up and even try to take what I'm offering Odile. But something about the feeders is causing trouble -- she is just not emptying the feeder at the rate she used to. She is a large bird and should be eating a lot of feed -- she used to.
I am at a loss as to how to place the feeders (I added another one) so that both hens will use them comfortably. My run has a smaller section and a larger section, with a hallway connecting them. I tried having one feeder in each section, but that didn't do anything, so then I put both in the larger section of the run, so that they can both eat, and be near each other, but not feel penned in by the other hen. But I am not sure that's working either. I do see Medora visiting the feeder sometimes, but not like she was before. I still don't know what all is going on, but if I can situate the feeders to get her to use them more, it would be helpful.