wasting food, how can I stop it

[tlck9]

Hi all

I have two 2.5 kilo green feeders with lids and hook on pots. However we are losing lots of food on the floor every day, even suspending them had not worked.

Can anyone give me some ideas on how to save food being wasted and subsequently padded into the mud.

[Suechooks]

Try hanging them higher - they usually waste food by trying to forage in the feeder. If you get it so they can't get their feet in it you may prevent it.

[Glutton4...]

I have a similar problem with my 'Laydees.' The little s*ds sit there and just flick it out with their beaks. I have the galvanised containers with the 'wide-brimmed hat' tops to keep the rain out, so I can't suspend them. I've now got the feeders standing on upturned plastic tubs, it's made a difference, in as much as it's harder for them to flick the pellets around, but they still do it a little. They now have to stretch a little to reach the food.

The only other thing I do, is I now only fill them three quarters of the way up, so I have to top them up more frequently, but I've worked it so that they empty completely every other day, and then they eat what's on the floor.

It's blimmin annoying isn't it?

[MrsC]

I give my girls a big bowl of pellets in the morning and that's it. No more for the rest of the day, they have treat before bed and greens etc. They seem to sort of know that they get it when they can. I have tried the feeders etc and found they waste loads. They are happy and healthy and laying. Hope this helps. Now the bantams are a different story!

[tlck9]

With the introduction of the 4 ex batts i;ve had two plastic feeders and a new one someone donated to me, a big metal one with a lid.

I have had problems with the last ex batts where they were being forced away from the food, so I have placed the red clip on cups around the place - these are ideal as I get very little waste from them

on average how much food does each full size chicken need?

[frias]

Hi all

I have two 2.5 kilo green feeders with lids and hook on pots. However we are losing lots of food on the floor every day, even suspending them had not worked.

Can anyone give me some ideas on how to save food being wasted and subsequently padded into the mud.

My lot use to waste loads with layers mash but not with pellets. Can you screw the top screw down more, so there's not so much food on show? (Sorry I'm not very good at explaining what I mean. )

[Bramble-Poultry]

try using a feeder with segmented fins in it. it stops the birds flicking the food with their beaks and causing waste.

looky here for what i mean 3 kg Plastic Feeder - Plastic Poultry Feeders

[Bramble-Poultry]

a full sized, x-batt type hen should consume around 100=125g of pelleted feed each day, reducing to less if adequate naturally occuring forage is available or suplimented with vegetables

[frias]

try using a feeder with segmented fins in it. it stops the birds flicking the food with their beaks and causing waste.

looky here for what i mean 3 kg Plastic Feeder - Plastic Poultry Feeders

Said I couldn't explain it very well! That's the type feeder I thought Tick9 meant and if you screw it a bit tighter the fins stop the food being flicked out. I never measure what mine have just keep the feeder full.

[RichmondHens]

What about trying a peck feeder? If they are flicking the food about rummaging for more tasty bits they are obviously not too hungry. With a peck feeder the pellet can't be spilt in the same way as they have to work to peck it out so tend to gobble up anything dropped on the ground.

[Bramble-Poultry]

pretty much like us then. we gauge it on sacks. on a good day we go through 30kg per day, on a bad day (i.e raining, cold etc) we could go through 40kg in a day!

thats a mixture of layers, growers, chick crumb, breeder, turkey breeder, wheat, maize, oats, corn

[matthew2riches]

Stand it on a bucket so they can just reach it, then they won't be able to get their feet up in the air the kick at it, it worked with mine

[dexterdoglancashire]

What about trying a peck feeder? If they are flicking the food about rummaging for more tasty bits they are obviously not too hungry. With a peck feeder the pellet can't be spilt in the same way as they have to work to peck it out so tend to gobble up anything dropped on the ground.

what is a peck feeder RH?

[tlck9]

Stand it on a bucket so they can just reach it

Lovely thought but I can just see me counting out my chucks, 6,7 8 now where has that last one got to, oh blimey its got stuck under the bucket

Now trust me, if mine can get stuck down the side of the ark and another go and find out what it was up to, mine would get stuck in upturned bucket

[RichmondHens]

what is a peck feeder RH?

I'm sure someone on here can put a pic on (I'm useless at it) but basically a container on legs (depending on size can hold a bag of feed or more) which has a device underneath which holds the pellet until the bird pecks at it. The most popular ones either have a type of spring underneath which the pellet trickles down into and it drops to the ground as the bird pecks at it, or the type we prefer which is like a baked bean can with holes punched in. The bird spies the pellet through the hole and pecks it out. Similar things are used as peanut feeders for wild birds. They are very popular with game bird rearers.

I think Snadger put a pic on a while back on another thread.