Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Chortle Chook]

I recently bought a lovely bright red Grub and a Glug from Omlet (I just loved the names, my partner loved the shape ). I modified them both to put hooks on the back so they could be attached to a non Omlet run. The Glug is just great but alas, the Grub is not working for me . It is such a good idea and does stop my chooks from getting food everywhere and from standing in their dish (they had a dog dish before), but I find that bantams (Silkies or Pekins) can't get to the bottom. Has anyone else had this problem and how did you get round it other than just to fill it extra full? Have I missed something and do Omlet do extra small ones?

[chicken bark]

Maybe you have the grub too high. My chicks have used it since they were about 8 weeks old. I'm not sure whether they ever reached the bottom of it. Now they are 12 weeks old they certainly can.

 

My grown up girls have no problems too.

 

I'd just lower it a bit and see if that helps - or always keep it topped up of course.

[Mercedes55]

I don't think any of mine can reach the bottom of theirs, although I have never waited to see if they get totally empty. Every evening when I bring them in I tip the old food towards the front and put some fresh food at the back and then tip it back again. It was a tip that I had read on here. I'm not sure how long the food stays fresh though, I guess I should tip it all away every so often and put all fresh in to make sure it's okay. I used to have an Omlet run and have kept some of the run and OH made holders inside the WIR for one lot of grubs and glugs. The other set my OH had to modify the bit they were attached to and they all look about right I think, kind of slightly at an angle towards the floor if that makes sense. We also have a piece of wood on the floor so that they can stand up higher if they need to get further into the feeders. I don't think they are ideal but as you say it's better than the mess they make when you use a dog bowl which is what we started out using too

[migsy]

All of mine get to the bottom and I've had some of them since they were 12 weeks old.

[Egluntyne]

My Pekins have no problems getting to the bottom of their pink grub.

[WitchHazel]

I don't have bantams, but I've used the Grub for all my chicks from about 5 weeks of age (as soon as we start putting them outside, in fact), and they don't have a problem. I start with it realy low down, and move it up a as they grow.

[daxigirl]

Mine don't like the grub and have a large dog bowl for their dinner (good old Ikea). (They actually have several so they can have a clean one every day.)

 

I don't think that they liked their combs and hair dos touching the top.

[docsquid]

If they can't get to the bottom, try putting a bit of log by the Grub. I have both Grub and Glug up high to stop them chucking muck into the feeder/drinker, but with a log to stand on, they just hop up and feed/drink and it keeps the food clean and allows them to reach. I have a silkie and pekin, and they can reach just fine using this method.

[Chortle Chook]

Thanks everyone. I'm experimenting with the log method and the tip method together

[daxigirl]

Thought I'd try the new pink grub now they've changed accomodation and all of a sudden they like it and will eat out of it quite happily.

 

Thought they'd be phased by the colour change but no it was the grey roosting bars that caused upset.

[crankycookie]

I've been very careful to hang my grubs quite low (around 3 inches from the ground) every since my Gingernut Ranger rubbed all her chest feathers off (and some skin!) on the lip of it.

[Chortle Chook]

I've just found the solution to my problem of bantam chooks not able to reach the bottom of their Omlet Grub. I had doctored it so that it could hang on a non Omlet WIR - but the doctoring meant it did not hang as intended. Now I have purchased one of those Omlet feeder / drinker stands comlete with lovely new pink Grub and Glug. It works brilliantly. Now that the tilt of the Grub is as intended all my chooks are happily using them. Thought I'd share this as the stand seemed rather hidden in the Omlet shop and does not look much but it really works for me and could help some of you out there without Omlet WIRs.