Chicken bald back

[nin-chicken]

My girls used to eat neatly from their grub but have turned onto messy little monkeys and now sweep it all onto the floor which makes a big mess and I'm worried will encourage rats!

Is there a better feeder option which would discourage them from

Doing this?

Thanks!

[LunaKiw1]

Not sure of an alternative but we moved our Grub up to sit quite high on the side of the WIR so they can't so easily dig their beaks in and toss it around. But we've had some chooks who have been worse than others so it can depend on the individual girlie! We do bring the Grub in at night to help avoid rat issues.

[Chickabee]

Yes putting it higher should help as they can't scratch the food out. Alternatively gravity feeders could be used. You can hang these at the height needed, or put them on bricks

[Beantree]

Make sure the feeder never has treats in it or they will dig through the grain to get to them.

[mullethunter]

Nin chicken mine have started doing that since they were last wormed. They're OK with the EgluGo feeder but with their galvanised hanging feeder they now seem to fling the pellets all over the place! I did wonder if it's that they preferred the worming pellets and they're trying to find some?

[Mars]

If you recently changed the feed it could be the reason. be sure you are using pellets not mash

[mullethunter]

Mine are on the same pellets they were tidily eating before their worming pellets. I think they're just trying to say 'We want nice expensive Marriages pellets please not this cheap rubbish'!

[sjp]

if the feeders are raised up to about shoulder height or slightly higher of the birds then it does reduce or completely stop feed wastage as the can't see into the feeder looking for the nice bits

[The Dogmother]

The grubs are a pretty useless design in that respect - can I suggest that you switch to a gravity feeder, and hang it level with the hens' backs.

[Chickabee]

I agree with Dogmother. I've got 3 eglu's and I only use gravity feeders and gravity drinkers

[The Dogmother]

If they leave feed on the floor, just take the feeder out until they've cleared it all up.