FAQ: Bowls & Feeders for birds

A hanging hopper feeder holds a larger amount of feed, which drops into the tray only as the hens eat. Hung at the right height it gets less litter in it and the hens scratch out less feed.

It is a feeder with a lid that opens when a hen steps on the treadle. It helps protect the feed from rodents, wild birds and damp, but the hens need a few days to get used to it.

The feeder and drinker are usually hung at about the height of the hens' backs, so they eat and drink comfortably and no litter gets in. When raising chicks, the dishes need raising as the birds grow.

In winter heated drinkers or heated bases under them are used; without them, the water has to be replaced with warm water several times a day. The drinker is worth keeping in the coop, where it is warmer than outside.

Chicks suit low troughs with holes they can eat through but cannot climb into and scratch out the feed. Drinkers must be shallow so chicks do not fall in and get wet, and the water dish is worth keeping away from the heat lamp.

Quail feed on the ground and like to scratch, so troughs with anti-scatter guards and shallow or nipple drinkers suit them. It matters that these small birds cannot climb into the water and get wet.

Pigeon lofts often use troughs with lids or grilles so the pigeons do not stand in the feed, and enclosed drinkers in which the water stays clean. Place the dishes away from perches and clean them regularly.

A chicken drinker is worth rinsing and refilling with fresh water every day and scrubbing thoroughly at least once a week. In the coop litter and droppings easily get into the water, so drinkers need frequent cleaning.

There should be enough dishes for most hens to eat at the same time so the weaker ones are not pushed away. A larger flock is worth having several feeders and drinkers in different places.

Measure the cage door or dish openings and the gaps between the bars so the dish fits and holds firmly. It is also worth considering the material, the bird's size and whether the dish will be easy to take out and wash every day.

Not always: cage dish openings, door sizes and bar thicknesses vary. Check the measurements before buying, or choose dishes with a universal holder that can be fixed to different bars.

Drinker tubes, caps or seals are sometimes sold separately, but they must fit the specific model. If you cannot find a matching part, it is simpler and more hygienic to replace the whole drinker.

Many birds are wary of new objects, especially if they are a different colour or shape from the usual ones. At first put the new dish next to the old one and let the bird get used to it.

Put the new feeder in the same place or next to the old one, and keep the old one until you are sure the bird eats from the new one. Watch that it does not lose weight and that the food in the new dish goes down.

Many parrots like to dunk their food in water; it is natural behaviour. In that case the water gets dirty quickly, so it needs changing more often, and the dishes can be moved apart or a tube drinker used.

This is usually the bird showing that it wants a bath. Offer it a separate bath, and change the drinking water after such bathing, as feather dust and dirt are left in it.

Heat or juicier food can change how much a bird drinks, but a marked and lasting change can be a sign of illness. In that case, especially if the droppings or behaviour change too, contact a vet.

Yes, a bird must always have access to clean water and food, even when the cage is covered for the night. Fresh food that spoils quickly is better removed in the evening.

With the heating on, water evaporates faster and there is more dust in the air, so check the drinker level more often and change the water daily. Do not place the cage and drinker next to a radiator or heater.

In hot weather it is worth adding an extra drinker, changing the water several times a day and keeping the cage in the shade. Many birds also gladly use a bath or a fine mist on a hot day.