The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: blade on July 17, 2011, 01:46:39 pm
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Hi all,
We have just started keeping 4 chickens, feeding them on a mixture of chicken mix corn and layers pellets initially out of a ground based hopper and we have now tried containers attached to the side of the coops run and up on a couple of bricks but despite all of this they just seem to scatter 90% of it over the floor of the coop and it is wasted.
Is it :-
a) they are getting 2 much food
b) they all do it regardless
c) I need a better designed container for the food
Any advice gratefully received
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First of all check the bag for the amount of food your chickens need per day. Weigh it out and use a scoop to see how much it is to save weighing it every time. I divide that by two and feed them that amount twice - morning and teatime. I scatter some and put the rest in a hopper. It is usually all gone in a few minutes. I also give them some greens and short cut grass on any days I can't let them out in the paddock. I think you will always get some scattering but they will usually finish the food off in a short time. Hens like scratching about - it is their main job in life ;D ;D ;D
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The gap at the bottom of your hopper where the feed runs out into the trough is too large. I presume it is adjustable, close it down until the feed just comes out without sticking. I have three 45kg hoppers which I only fill once a week, if the gap is wide the hens will scrape the wheat out in about three days.
Regards Geo.
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block the feed tray at the bottom with wood or large stones or fence wire... leaving about 1 inch free at one end for feed, then only one can feed at a time and the others will pick up the spillage while waiting... block the other side up completly