Smart Door Power Options

[egglicious]

Hello all! I was wondering... I have some chicks about three weeks old who keep kicking their feed all over the place until their dispenser is almost empty. Since their feed is all over the floor of their brooder I haven't been adding more food more than once a day, but yesterday when I added it they all immediately came over and started eating like crazy, even though there was still food on the floor.. could they be not scratching for the food on the floor and only eating from the dispenser? I thought for sure they would be scratching around for their food on the floor.. I don't want them to starve but they are also costing me a lot of money wasting all their feed! What do you all think? Thanks in advance.

[moochoo]

Can you use a heavy bottomed dish or pop a stone in the bottom to weigh it down? I use coop cups on the side of the brooder as they get bigger and they don't try to perch on them.

[egglicious]

It is a heavy bottomed dish, they can't knock it over. I filled their dispenser just about two or three hours ago and they immediately threw it all over the floor. I don't know what to do because the second they see me coming they start cheeping in such a seemingly distressed manner, but I think they just want treats!!

[Redwing]

It sounds like they are digging through the food for the best bits or looking for treats that arent there, I'd cut out all the treats and when they have emptied the container but there is food on the floor as long as the food isnt soiled or damp I would wait for them to finish that before giving them more

 

They need the chick food to do their growing, a little boiled egg or a few mealworms are ok but it may be best to cut all other things out and until they start eating their food properly I would cut out all treats, they wont starve themselves

 

If you treat them too much now they will continue to dictate what you feed them as they get older, food will always be turfed out of feeders etc... its like having a puppy!!