Chicks emptying the feeder onto the floor

[LilMissChz]

I think I'm so clever. Trying to do the best with this and be more efficient at that. But then 6 feathered friends come along and within 24 hours make me look like the total fool and novice I am by emptying their feeder.

I wasn't even gone that long. But within 4 hours my babies (2 days old) half way empty their feed out of the feeder onto the pine shavings on the floor of the brooder. I took it out until I could get some answers. LOL

What the heck?!! I mean, I don't want to NOT feed them, or have clean fresh feed available. But WHAT THE HECK?!!

I'd love any advice.

 

[Nava]

what kind of feeder do you have?

Usually the little round plastic feeders get flipped really easy, I use the long metal ones and even at a month old they still can not flip them over.

 

[chickensinwasillaAK]

I used the foot long ones the first time, not terrible but they do tend to poo in the food. Don't fill them to the top and they'll have to dip their heads into the feeder to get food. You can elevate it a bit, a 2x4 worked well for me but that was at about a week. Just remember, it's a chickens nature to scratch at the ground so they'll find the food. I wouldn't pull the food out, they do waste food but they're just learning to eat and need that food to keep them fueled up.

 

[felidaet]

I have used both the round one and the long metal one in the past. The long metal one worked much better for me. Yes they do poo in it sometimes. I set it on a 2 x 4 block of wood. I do the same thing with the waterer. Some people that have the round feeders put them inside an pie tin to catch most of the food. Within a very short time the birds will find the feed in the bedding by scratching around.

 

[Fierlin1182]

Been there done that. Had a homemade cardboard feeder, which we filled up from the top and it would dispense itself at the bottom as the feeder emptied. This helped a little bit, at least the chickens would eat what was under their feet first before going to the feeder for more, as the food tended to pile up in front of the trough and they had trouble wading through it.
I've always thought the long metal feeders were a good idea, although with only a few chickens we never really justified buying one. It's okay though, after the feeder's empty, or if you have a lot of chickens the ones at the back of the pack will eat what's been spilled out into the brooder.

 

[BuffOrpington88]

You can try raising the feeder up to the height of their backs. They will be able to reach it, but not to spill it.

 

[LilMissChz]

I have the small round metal one with the mason jar on top. As the feeder is emptying and the feed level is going lower, they seem to be wasting less of it. They have to reach down further to get it. Or someone is pecking at the floor... which they all seem to do a lot.

I was just so surprised that 6 chicks in 4 hours could half empty a feeder! It totally took me by surprise!

 

[tweetysvoice]

I put our chick's feeder inside of a overturned frisbee. Anything that is knocked out is caught by the frisbee and they just eat if from there. The lip on the frisbee keeps it from going onto the brooder floor. It's been great!