Doves eating chicken's feed

[Bopper]

The doves are eating so much chicken feed that our feed bill is getting way too high. Any suggestions to prevent them from getting to feed?

The chicken pen is too big to put a net over it. Inside the pen is a chicken house then a large roofed/covered area for them to eat and hang out in the shade when it is hot. The feeders are under the covered area which is basically one roofed area with a lean to on 2 sides. We need something to keep the doves from getting to the feed without preventing the chickens from getting to it.

[Simkie]

How about the Grandpa feeder? The ones where the chickens step on the platform to open the feeder.

Or move the feed into the coop?

[Bopper]

We actually have been discussing moving the feed to the coop but with so many chickens it might be too little space to put enough feeders. The coop already has the roosts and nest boxes in it.

[poltroon]

Treadle feeders - like the Grandpa one - work great. Especially against small birds. Plus, you can put quite a lot of feed in them at a time if they are successful at blocking your opportunists. These feeders are best under some sort of roof so that water won’t get in them when they are open but they are designed to be completely covered and self-contained when the chickens aren’t actually eating.

I have two different kinds; this is one that I have that I like:

https://www.grandpasfeeders.com/prod…SAAEgJsi_D_BwE

It feels expensive, but between the savings on wasted feed and the lower everyday effort to keep your birds fed (like maybe you won’t need a petsitter) it’s well worth it.

You can also make your own if you prefer, but I find that wood ones eventually succumb to rodents.