[mickwood]

I have a galvinised feeder from which the girls have started to pull out the food, all over the floor! I've now raised it off the floor slightly by hanging it on something but alas...still pulling it out!?

Any advice as I'm going through feed at an incredible rate! 

[joyfull]

Mine do that, and I found raising it didn't work, also tried one of those long feeders with bars on but that didn't work either!!! Next step is going to be dog bowls or similar

[drumcrow]

is there a scratch guard going around were the hens eat there feed from. that stops them from flinging there feed every were..

[GrannieAnnie]

We use the 10kg red plastic ones, some hanging, some standing on bricks, they are okay until they are getting a bit emptier, than they all eat from one side, so it tilts the other way, then the feed tips out the opposite side to where they are feeding!.  the ones that stand on bricks once a bit lighter, they will tip over!

[drumcrow]

your better off hanging the feeders cos the chucks can walk around them to eat each chuck needs a certain amount of space to eat and the feeders with the scratch guards provide that and also stops them from wasteing feed as well.

[joyfull]

Well putting on a tray didn't work either with mine, so going to remove feed mid afternoon so they eat the pellets of the grass 

[joyfull]

your better off hanging the feeders cos the chucks can walk around them to eat each chuck needs a certain amount of space to eat and the feeders with the scratch guards provide that and also stops them from wasteing feed as well.

scratch guards didn't work with mine as they flick it with their beaks, it's like they are sorting through to see if there is any tastier bits at the bottom 

[mickwood]

OK, 'scratch guard'?  :blink:

woz dat den?

[joyfull]

I assume it's the long type of feeders with the metal bars on that go over (thats what I call the scratch guards anyway), this allows the hens to put their heads in to eat but not their feet. Mine use their heads to chuck the food about so no use to me.

[GrannieAnnie]

Ours have scratch rings too Drumcrow, but they can still spill when they try hard enough!

look at 4th row down Mick, these are the ones we use and it shows the scratch ring that goes over the feed to supposedly stop mess!!!

http://www.solwayfeeders.com/ProductsResultsList1.asp?cat=4

[Debz]

I only give mine a set amount every day.  I have worked out by trial and error how much they will eat on an average day and I give them that amount.  There is still some left in the dish when I give them their snack at teatime so I pour it out on the ground and lift the dish.  9 days out of 10, they will finish that little drop off by bedtime which keeps away rodents.  I give them fresh every morning so have very little wasted.

[joyfull]

Yep the ones in grannie annies post are the plastic version of mine (although mine are for the long feeder as opposed to the round type). Just come to the conclusion that some, not all, chickens are just plain messy  

[bubs]

i also had one of them feeders and the hens always emptied it and wasted most of the pellets {very expensive} . now i use 2 cheap roasting tins and i tip a jug of pellets in them a couple of times a day , the chickens still scratch the pellets out but they also eat them without the wastage .