What are your helpful 'Hacks' you've discovered for chicken keeping?

[LizzzyJo]

I am interested in the small, goofy, surprising, cost-saving, and ingenious things that people have done that helps them with chicken keeping. We can read about the 'best ways' to do things, but when it comes down to it, it's often the simple hacks that help out! What're yours?

My favorite is a food waste saving trick. I was wasting a lot of food from scratching and digging. Their food is a mash, so once it's in the shavings, it's pretty much gone. Hanging didn't work either. I put the feeder into a trough, but they covered it in shavings and poo.

So, I put blocks into a flowerpot. I then put the feeder on the blocks. They don't kick shavings up that high (generally). AND - when they scratch and dig with their beaks, they pour the mash into the flowerpot. I then dump it back into the feeder - free of shavings



What's your simple hack?

 

[BullChick]

*You can cut a hole in a milk jug (an inch below the top of the bowl), put it into a rubber bowl, and it’s an instant waterer.
I’d tell you about feeders, but it won’t prevent the spillage you have.
*Poop boards are great.
*Attach chicken wire to 2x4 boards to make tunnels in the garden. Weed control!

 

[Keeperofmunchkins]

Oh wow this is a great idea. I don't have any tips of my own but I'm gonna borrow yours. My chickens are always kicking out so much food all over the place. I tried to make a partially covered feeder to prevent them getting their feet in, but they still get it all out with their beaks.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I keep their feeder and waterer in the run so any feed that gets on the ground they will eat.
I also dump grass clippings & leaves in the run for the birds to turn into compost and mulch.

 

[igorsMistress]

Great thread idea!

I wish I could use a feed bowl, I like to feed fermented. But, the bane of my existence is the 50+ pigeon flock that raids my yard for feed after they finish what the neighbor feeds them

We use pvc feeders with crumble instead now, they're too tall for pigeons to eat from. Now I just guard the evening fermented meal and relax with the gang after work. It has really helped my feed bill.

Pop doors on the coop are great for keeping wild birds out, and I like having a poop board inside for quick cleaning with less dust than when I R&R litter.

 

[LizzzyJo]

*You can cut a hole in a milk jug (an inch below the top of the bowl), put it into a rubber bowl, and it’s an instant waterer.
I’d tell you about feeders, but it won’t prevent the spillage you have.
*Poop boards are great.
*Attach chicken wire to 2x4 boards to make tunnels in the garden. Weed control!

Awesome!! Love the tunnels

 

[LizzzyJo]

Great thread idea!

I wish I could use a feed bowl, I like to feed fermented. But, the bane of my existence is the 50+ pigeon flock that raids my yard for feed after they finish what the neighbor feeds them View attachment 1742841

We use pvc feeders with crumble instead now, they're too tall for pigeons to eat from. Now I just guard the evening fermented meal and relax with the gang after work. It has really helped my feed bill.

Pop doors on the coop are great for keeping wild birds out, and I like having a poop board inside for quick cleaning with less dust than when I R&R litter.

I've thought about the PVC feeders a lot. I can't open feed in the run because of wildlife even during the day, but that could work!

 

[igorsMistress]

I've thought about the PVC feeders a lot. I can't open feed in the run because of wildlife even during the day, but that could work!

You might need something to prevent the wildlife from getting droppings in the feeder though lol.

I saw someone using a frisbee that they cut. Basically they cut it similar to a straw hole in a fast food cup and slid it down from the top. I keep one in the coop and a few out in the yard. You can decide how long you want to make the tube and it makes feeding a breeze. I check them every morning and top up as necessary.

 

[Maugwa]

My dad always said, if he could sell zucchinis for a dime, we'd all be millionaires. Same for those little yellow crook necks. I love them when they are the perfect young size, but 12 hours later it seems, they may be too old. Then on top of that, a package of each of these seeds will produce many times more squash than anybody I know ever needs -- they are hard to give away. A few years ago I decided to dig a small ditch, just off my main garden, and plant all the seeds from two packets along both sides. Zucchinis on one end, yellows on the other. I have squash coming out of my ears. This greatly assists in finding those few perfect small squash out of so many, but even more so, chickens are happy to see the rest. They like them better cut open, I just chop them a few times with a shovel and toss them to the chickens.

 

[happyhens1972]

Three years ago I soaked my chicken house in a permethrin based woodworm treatment called SoluGard then heavily dusted it (and continue to do so after every bedding change) with DE and have not seen a single red mite since!!! It has saved me a fortune in other treatments and may well have saved me some birds too.