I'm not sure if this is a "learned" group behavior or not. Within the last month, the chickens have started to dig out and scatter around the feed from my hanging feeder - It's a Littel Giant 40-lb, 17" pan feeder. The feeder has 3 holes for changing the feed flow gap on the tray bottom, and I already have it set to the smallest gap. I've tried larger gaps, but as you'd expect, they're doing the same thing regardless of the gap.
The feed winds up depleted from the feeder quickly, laying all over the floor of the run (and ticking me off with the cost of wasted feed). This never happened in the past when I just had Wyandottes and Orpingtons. In the last year after introducing Red Stars to the flock, their habits seem to have changed.
I removed the feeder in the hopes of the chickens eating the feed that's spread all over the floor.
Before I drill another set of holes to make the feeder tray gap even smaller, has anyone else experienced this?
Any remedies?
Thanks for any input!
The feed winds up depleted from the feeder quickly, laying all over the floor of the run (and ticking me off with the cost of wasted feed). This never happened in the past when I just had Wyandottes and Orpingtons. In the last year after introducing Red Stars to the flock, their habits seem to have changed.
I removed the feeder in the hopes of the chickens eating the feed that's spread all over the floor.
Before I drill another set of holes to make the feeder tray gap even smaller, has anyone else experienced this?
Any remedies?
Thanks for any input!