[Ginarina]

 ::)Good morning everyone brrrr bank holiday humbug. Can anyone suggest how I can stop the mass of Sparrows eating my chickens morning breakfast of pellets. I have tried keeping the girls inside their run until I know they have had their fair share but they are so noisy at wanting to get out into the garden at that time of the morning I have to give in and let them out, as I live in a very built up area and not wanting to anger the neighbours. As soon as I open the pen in come the sparrows eating all and sundry, dont get me wrong I like the sparrows I just want my girls to get what they need

[mjd]

What about a treadle feeder

[Ginarina]

ooo that sounds like a plan where do I get one and do my girls have to learn to use it?

[Mulberry1990]

We've started hanging a wild bird food feeder near the chickens, it stopped the wild birds eating the chicken food straight away, they preferred to eat the wild bird food that we put out for them

[mjd]

This place sells them, http://www.solwayfeeders.com/categories/treadle-feeders-c396.html

Or below are some plans for making one.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=56638-building-a-treadle-feeder

To teach them you can prop it open for a few days so they get used to where the food is, then its a mater of getting them to step on the plate to open it, operating the treadle youself when they are close will soon give them the idea of what to do.

[Ginarina]

 :)Thank you all, will try out all suggestions, have a great Bank holiday x

[Lindeggs]

I got my girls a treadle feeder back in June and it is proving very successful.  They did take some time to get used to it and I had to be very patient.  I was beginning to think my chickens were unusually slow learners.    But they now all use it with confidence and the sparrows miss out!