DIY Bucket feeder spills, help!

[Al Gerhart]

These feeders are dirt cheap and work for a lot of people until the rodents and wild birds appear. They will allow raking, the birds don't like using them, they cause injuries to combs, but they will work for a time. Just don't expect them to be good feeders, they are what they are.

 

[WormLady]

Normally I don't mind them spilling and like you add I it back to the bucket. Right now I'm more concerned about all the wild birds coming to eat and hang around the run. I've been told they can expose them to potentially dangerous diseases. I'm hoping if there is less spilled mess they will move on to other places where they can feed.

I have wire covered coops so I don't have wild bird issues. I also keep the feeders in the shelter so the birds don't see it. I'm way up north so my housing has to be pretty good. When I lived in the south west shelter was not an issue.

 

[rehsanipoor]

The old feeder was pretty sheltered, but they can get through the fencing I have. Wondering if I should move the feeder into the coop. Is that a bad thing to do?

 

[rehsanipoor]

This is a picture of the coop, before we built the run. The bottom is where the food was and there is hardware cloth all the way around except for one small opening where the chickens go through. The birds have no fear of going under the coop for feed.

 

[Finnie]

Wondering if I should move the feeder into the coop. Is that a bad thing to do?

Not a bad thing. The wild birds might still get in there but it doesn’t hurt to try. What did you end up doing?