# hens wasting feed, need feeder ideas



## 3kidsomy (Jan 6, 2008)

My girls are just pecking it all out on the ground. I usually let them and then take it away, but if i forget to take it away well then there is A LOT of feed on the ground when i remember. I am sick of it(insanity is setting in)i need some ideas, tips something short of a miracle, i cannot afford this waste much longer. My feeder is a 5 gallon bucket with 1" holes drilled around the bottom and it is screwed down on a planter bottom that has a 2" gap between the bucket and the planter lip.....hope all that made sense! Even better i found a picture if i can get it to work......excuse the mess it was cleaning day


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## Feathers-N-Fur (Dec 17, 2007)

Can't help with the feeder, but was wondering what breed the tan(?) colored hen in the middle of your picture is?


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## Elsbet (Apr 2, 2009)

Are you feeding mash or pellets? There's always going to be some waste, but I have better luck with pellets than mash.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Raise the feeder so it's about as high as their backs.

Either hang it, or set it on a cinder block or bricks. If they have to reach for it, they cant dig in it.

And DONT refill it until they eat what they spill.


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## stifflej (Aug 11, 2008)

Bearfootfarm said:


> Raise the feeder so it's about as high as their backs.
> 
> Either hang it, or set it on a cinder block or bricks. If they have to reach for it, they cant dig in it.
> 
> And DONT refill it until they eat what they spill.


I second that, it seemed to work better for me as well...

BTW, I love that idea for a feeder...I had been building mine out of wood, but have all the parts laying around for what you have...looks like it would be quick and easy to put together.


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## Dazlin (Nov 26, 2007)

I made a feeder from plastic gutters. Cut the length you want, you can put 2 together side by side, and scew to a wooden base that keeps it from tipping. I have no waste.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Couple of things...as Bearfootfarm suggested, get it up off the ground about 8 inches. that will help with the flinging the feed around as they search for bits. Also, if you can revamp your base on the feeder...put a lip around it to hold in the bits they toss around. Means a bigger base, probably.

Pellets do create less waste than mash or grains. If you're using a feedmill, they can usually pelletize grains.

and..

you can feed wet. I know Cyngbaeld does regularly, and so does the man I bought my first Jaerhons from. NO waste...BUT you can't put a week's worth in the feeder at a time...it's done every feeding...so it's a tradeoff. I used to do a daily "special" feed wet

What I did was the same as bearfootfarm tho...wait until they clean up around the base of the feeder before filling....although my feeders are inside coops, so the feed didn't get mixed in the soil. 

hmm....don't know if this would work...but what about a small tarp or a gunny sack under the feeder? After a couple days of waste, you pick up the tarp and put the wasted feed into a pan...to condense it, so to speak?


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## Wingdo (Oct 5, 2002)

Also, if I may add, drill your holes closer to the bottom of the bucket so it doesn't flow quite so freely. I have used/built "bucket feeders" for years and the hole placement/diameter plays an important part in the flow of feed. For pellets a one inch hole is fine, but for crumbles it allows too much feed out so I use a 1/2" hole about every three inches. Using a two gallon bucket as a reservoir, and a five gallon bucket as the feeder, only gives about an inch between the sides and the flow of feed. This fills in quickly and the flow stops, and by leaving three inches on the feeder they have to actually try hard to throw feed out. I also suspend mine so the birds have to stand erect to eat and not "bill-out" the feed.


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## Brisket (Sep 29, 2007)

make a huge base for the feeder, I mean huge. I feed out of a 2 foot by four foot feed trough with four inch sides. the birds go right into the through and they do poop in it some but ZERO loss with pellets. Got the idea on this site I just made it bigger at the base. Just used some old plywood and 2X4's. When the birds scratch in it the feed just hits the sides and falls back in. Thirty full grown hens can eat out of it at one time. It has been a great help to us.


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

You have too much feed flowing out of your feeder! There are too many holes so the hens play with the feed. The opening on our feeders is less than 1/2" so the hens have to work a bit for the feed.

One thing to consider is that over conditioning (Fat) is a problem with non-mediteranean layers. We have gone to every other day feeding for our hens to limit their fatness. Our egg production increased after doing this.

JIm


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## oberhaslikid (May 13, 2002)

Feed has went up and it burns my butt to stand and watch the chickens flick the feed out on the ground.So I found some flower pot bases like on the bottom of your feeder.I use them to feed out of and wet the feed down.They dont waste it anymore and need the extra water now anyway.


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## yarddog4jc (Jan 16, 2006)

I have a hanging feeder about 8" high. So I have to third that idea. Also, I have to agree that a narrower tray would help prevent billing out.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

I feed wet as well. My feeder is just a feed pan and I mix daily food for them. Even with ducks there's no mess, even though they scratch in it. For a few days I had to vary the amount of food that I feed them to find out how much food would last them the whole day but when I would go feed them the next day it was empty - so that the hens would clean up any spilled grains. 

I really like your idea too and think I"ll steal it, especially for when I start feeding broilers and hopefully turkeys next year.


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## dirtyfeet (Jul 3, 2009)

I made those same feeders as well and mine is up much higher so that they can only basically grab the food and eat it. You might want to screw some pieces of wood to the rim of the planter (inbetween the holes). That will stop them from swiping their heads from side to side wasting food. 

I have a feeder that hangs on the wall of the coop and they non-stop wasted food...I did that and it was waste no more.


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## lauriej57 (Nov 20, 2008)

What kind of feed are you using? How is your egg production? Last year I found a feed store that mixed their own feed, and the price was good. What I found though, was that it had large pieces of corn in it, my hens were scratching out the food, going for the corn pieces, and within 2 weeks my egg production cut in half.


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

I have always tossed, scattered, feed right on the ground.
I like my chicken being chickens and scratching while they eat.
I toss enough for all day when they are not out foraging.
I had waste when I used crumbles. I hate that stuff. Biggest waste of money, IMO.
Now I use pellets and never have waste!
I also use game bird and not layer. The protein is higher. No need to supplement with cat or dog food to prevent feather or egg eating.
My birds lay well all year round and without artificial light or heat.


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## WstTxLady (Mar 14, 2009)

Great looking flock by the way(my favorite breeds, we have barreds & silver laceds) but my dad told me a trick he used years ago & we had A LOT of birds. He said get an old tire rim & put the feeder on/in it. That way they dont get a chance to scratch out & can just eat it. If you are feeding crumble, see if they will eat the pellets instead, its less waste. If not(like my picky birds) mix it half crumble, half pellets until they get used to feeding whatever ones they like.

I also mix my crumble or pellets in a little bit of water, to make a wet mash & they LOVE it. There is nothing left when I do that, plus if you use water soluble vitamins & such, it mixes in great that way.

F-n-F, the tan hen is a buff orphington(sp?)


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

If any livestock are wasting feed from a feeder, YOU are not properly managing your feeders. The change from crumbles to pellets many have mentioned changes the flowability of the feed which limits the feed flow from the feeder. 

Jim


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## Candace (Jan 14, 2008)

I have the same problem. My turkeys are the absolute worst. I have had pretty good results with using a cage litter tray. I put the tray down, set a cinder block in the middle and the feeder goes on top of that. For the turkeys, it still has to be secured with a cord or chain to the barn rafter or they tip it. Anyway, it offers a second chance to catch spillage. I also agree that the higher the better.


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## 3kidsomy (Jan 6, 2008)

I use crumbles, i have tried pellets, seemed like they wouldn't eat it, or they weren't wasting it and it took longer to go through the bag? I think i will try and not fill it so full, only enough for 2-3 days, and put it up higher on a block of wood or something. If that doesn't help then i'll drill smaller hole in another bucket. I use to sometimes just throw their feed on the ground, but now i have 9 new pullets and i want to make sure they are getting enough to eat. Thanks all, i'll keep trying.
O and Feathers N Fur, i cannot remember what she is, i looked at a chick picture of her and she looks just like a buff, but with a reddish head?


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## fixer1958 (Dec 12, 2005)

I use pellets and they don't get anymore until the mess is cleaned up.
They will clean it up everytime. 
They can forage if it's empty and will clean it up before I get there.
If they know the 2 legged feed mule will be there soon, they do get lazy.
Make them work a little, you do. Mine are far from starving. Yours look fine as well.
I wish I had there job.

Appreciation goes along way on both sides.


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## lauriej57 (Nov 20, 2008)

I also only feed my chickens once or twice a day. If I am able to let them free range, I don't feed them til it's just about time for them to go in for the night. It's their incentive to go in a little bit earlier. 

Other comments here are correct. If they scatter their feed, and they are hungry, they will scratch as they are bred to do, and find the feed. I think you are making it too easy, they will always go for the easy food first, and putting out a 2 - 3 day supply, they will probably rarely scratch around for the food they have spilled out. 

I'm not sure if you free range at all, but maybe you should try feeding them once a day, probably morning if you don't free range them, and that will give them the rest of the day to scratch what they have spilled. You may be suprised when you find out what they eat in one day.


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