Let’s say you walk into a restaurant. When your food arrives, the portions are small and it doesn’t look or smell great. You probably aren’t going to eat it, and it’s doubtful that you would be coming back.
Birds feel the same way about feed.
If you want to get the most out of your flock, they have to convert feed well, and in order to keep them coming back to the feeder pan, they need to be happy with what’s in front of them.
Here are a few things poultry producers should consider to keep their birds coming back for more:
- Presentation: Birds want to like what they see in their feeders and waterers. It’s important to keep the feed and water fresh and the feeders and waterers clean. If the birds don’t like the presentation of their feed, they won’t eat as much and won’t grow as efficiently as you need them to.
- Accessibility: The lip of your feeder or waterer should be even with the bird’s back. This prevents spilled feed and waste – birds won’t eat food that’s on the ground. Each bird needs about 3-4 inches of feeder space and 1 inch of waterer space. This means adjustments will need to be made as birds grow to help them stay productive.
- Flow: Birds like to have feed available on demand – in fact, it’s essential for good feed conversion. So you need to have consistent feeder flow throughout your barns. A good control pan is key to having the right flow.
PRO TIP
House environment: While this isn’t necessarily considered part of feeder presentation, the poultry house environment can play a big role in how well your birds convert feed. Keeping barns and birds at an ideal temperature is essential to bird health.
Check out our full line of pan feeders.
