[hectorshome]

The girls have layers pellets mixed with grit and oyster shell .. They have one of those usual metal feeders with the top that comes off for refilling ..

Anyway recently the girls have taken to scratching virtually all of the feed out of that and splaying it everywhere in their run!  Is there a reason they do this?  Makes an awful mess ...

[nicky d]

I dont know why they do this, probably a natural instinct,  you can get feeders with an anti scratch grid attached, i have one and the difference with my girls is amazing, before the food used to be absoutely everywhere but now hardly nothing, you can get them at all good poultry supplies, heres an example, when you get the link up click on the wee picture, hope this helps   nickyx
http://www.pandtpoultry.co.uk/index.php/fuseaction/shop.product/categoryid/57/productid/1341
       
 

[joyfull]

I use this feeder - British made and very good quality, the plastic is thick not brittle and each feeder (I have 3) holds 6kg of feed. It is very easy to clean, and can be used indoors either hung up or on the floor with it's inside lid on to prevent perching on top or outdoors with it's rain have on  

http://www.bec.uk.com/products/6KG_Blenheim_Feeder.htm

[hectorshome]

Thanks so much for the advice!  I should have asked this question before I spent a small fortune on this lovely metal feeder which came highly recommended :-)