Are my chickens spoiled?

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Everything I read talks about how happy chickens are to just chomp down their feed and drop eggs like there's no tomorrow. Well, my chickens like to toss their feed all over the place and then wait for me to refill the feeder so they can waste more of it. They do plop out eggs at a regular rate, but they waste more feed than they eat...or so it seems. I have a lip on my homemade feeder. It's an old moon hub cap with holes drilled in and a coffee can suspended above. Do they just need a different feeder or are they spoiled and not hungry enough? I like the chickens a lot, but feed isn't free and it's just getting wasted. Any ideas? Thanks!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), April 22, 2001

Answers

Don't be too quick to refill their feeder, let them clean up their own mess, see if that helps. We have small trough like feeder, I pour a bucket of feed in that direction. They eat it there or off the ground around it. Hope this helps.

-- Cindy (SE In) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), April 23, 2001.

I had a bin feeder in the house a long time ago. The whole 50# bag went in there and a trough at the bottom. They scratched it out and wasted it, fast. When I put hardware cloth over the trough it stopped the problem. Then all they could do is peck it. Your chickens should eat it off the ground, too. Mine get their feed poured on the ground as I have too many now for the feeder. So, yeah, maybe they are spoiled.

-- Nancy (sonflower35@icqmail.com), April 23, 2001.

I agree, Doreen. Let them eat it off the ground. MAKE them eat it off the ground. You are right, the feed isn't free. Besides, it helps remind them of their proper place in life, being chickens and all. Keeps them from gettin' so uppity!!! LOL We all know how obnoxious uppity chickens are.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), April 23, 2001.

I kinda thought they might be spoiled....Maybe I will just feed them once a day and see if they actually begin to eat all of their food. I doubt my chickens now what a hunger pang is. The uppity things are going to have to learn, I guess. Thanks all!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), April 23, 2001.

well as long as ur chickens are happy and healthy theres nothing wrong is there? maybe u could feed them less so they appreciate their food more neway chickens rok! and i reckon its great that u love ur pets im doing a project on chickens this year so any information u could send me on em would be great! thanx for listening from dani :)

-- Danielle Warburton (danielw@reidyprkps.sa.edu.au), November 07, 2002.


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