does a successfull chicken feeder exist?

[Altairsky]

I use this, and I'll never look back.

Also, if your chickens spill so much food, it might not taste that good to them. Consider trying a different type of food (for example, if they spill a lot of crumbles, switch to pellets.)

 

[Perris]

if your chickens spill so much food, it might not taste that good to them. Consider trying a different type of food

I second that; if they fling bits out it's because they're looking for something hopefully better underneath.

 

[K0k0shka]

The type in the following article is possibly one of the more effective that I've seen..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-waste-free-funnel-bucket-feeder.67218/

This is the one I made, too, and I love it! It's completely waste-free. I keep it inside my coop, which locks at night, so I don't have to worry about pests. Highly recommend.

 

[agewasere]

thankyou all for your great ideas. yesterday i decided to makesomething. so far it seems to be working great .

i hope these pics make sense.
it was all with stuff i had lying around. didnt buy a single thing

 

[CogitoChickens]

i ve been trying a few feeders for my flock, but i cant seem to find one that works.
first i tried this.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/314836593352?_skw=chicken+feeder&itmmeta=01JN4V34QSD1GMV2Y9GXAD4D3P&hash=item494db92ac8:g:TCMAAOSwQ1lnhysC&itmprp=enc:AQAKAAAA0FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1cCwF9hDzoaqiit6yG5m8ergxUuSZr2kXlr88UFGnuiPxycmIhZygJ9PmmBpoehTzoED/o0sozbZkeh8Su18Z39PIFdEy402Nd+WHn0pRH4q6Ay6/w1MozqBa62i14h3xuJiG2tlU0u8MAZlW+ANajrpxsU7o4qnuVpagVI/WNeBVyVU3C37K46uqdB8Xr9WslYSerZ3wwPYc+u4a8rA58Xctq5swk1aWtXF2QMfC2D2nc6rXxV/uqu8sGM7nN4bb8=|tkp:BlBMUP7LjJupZQ

however the chickens just seem to have the food everywhere withing an hour, thus bringing rats.

second i tried this.
https://www.dineachook.com.au/chicken-feeder/

however they cant get the food out, essentially have no access to food.

are there any other types of feedes out there?

thankyou

btw, im in australia

I've been using that first kind, with the treadle, for years. I usually have found I get that kind of rooting and strewing around of the feed with a mash product that has something in there a hen or two find they like a lot, so they root to get to it. And durn I truly hate to come out to the feeder and find all that feed in piles all over the place. Only solutions I have found are switching to a pelletized feed, raising the level of the feeder a bit so that the hen has to keep both feed on the treadle (it's when they are rooting with a foot that you get that feed carnage), or putting in some wood or metal divider(s) in the feed tray area so that it's a bit harder for them to dig in there. Best of luck to you! F. Adelman Lazy Bee Farm, Midland, OH (p.s. attached is a pic of my recent experience in the same vein, caused by something my hens universally despise in a new feed I'm trying!)

 

[Al Gerhart]

You identified one of reasons why it is foolish to use a wide treadle step on a chicken feeder. Ideally you want the hen a bit stretched out, standing on one foot, using the other foot to hold the treadle down. She isn't comfortable enough to stand all day like that raking feed. She won't be able to perch on the 1.5" wide treadle bar and lean forward, she would tip over, so she is forced to put one leg forward to balance herself. The other reason is swarming of rats or wild birds like pigeons that are heavy enough to over come the pre load on the door, assuming that the feeder even has springs to pre load the door as most treadle feeders do not. You want that treadle far enough back that it would take enormous cooperation between a dozen rats or pigeons to hold the door open and feed. At some point the ones at the back will rush forward and the door closes or the rats fight their way inside and get their dirty *sses smothered to death. That is rare, usually only in commercial flocks with hundreds if not thousands of rats already present. But once is all it takes, the rats will not touch a feeder that has killed other rats.

Another thing you can do if your feeder is designed for it is to use a feeder lip extender. There should be a 1/2" wide lip extending into the feed tray to prevent raking, of course the Chinese made feeders like the Grandpa and its many clones do not have that feature. They do put a wire grid on top the feed, a poor stop gap measure at best. So if you can find a short piece of 1/2" x 1/2" aluminum angle pop rivet it or screw it in place with sheet metal self tapping screws, on the inside of course.

If you have a proper feeder with enclosed sides and an inward swinging door you can use the feeder lip extender which is a 1.5" tall strip of sheet metal that slips between the side flanges and the front panel, extending the height up about 3/4" of an inch. Not many chickens are going to rake feed past that much of a lip. If you have a hen from hell you might have to cut some chicken wire and lay on top the feed, let the hens peck feed out a beak full at a time.

One last tip, make sure your feeder is rock solid, zero movement at all, to prevent shaking too much feed down into the lower tray. In an ideal set up, there will be a thin layer of feed flowing down the angled feed tray bottom. It is self supporting with the angle of repose for the feed in mind, allowing a small pile up of feed at the bottom that actually prevents more feed from flowing down. Unless the feeder is wobbly, allowing more vibrations from the lid slamming or chickens jumping on the treadle to shake down too much feed. So secure the feeder to a wall or post and have a solid patio block base, which you seem to have done. Or place a heavy patio block on top the feeder to help secure it. If nothing else, choke off a portion of the throat so the feed doesn't flow as heavy. Cardboard works well, play with the amount of throat blocked off until it works for you.

 

[lintlicker]

I made my own. I think the can is bigger than the one below though but just like it. Mine holds a 50lb bag of food easy peasy and then some. I got it at Lowes or TSC. Then the plastic elbows I ordered off Amazon. Not exactly these but just like it.

Drilled 4 holes along the base of the bucket, screwed the elbows on, filled with food. Been feeding chickens for bout 4 years now. I have 14 hens right now and refill it every 2-3 weeks depending how much they munch. I just keep it in the coop all the time. What I like most is little to no pecking the food out from the chickens. And I only have to worry about feeding once every few weeks.



View attachment 4060869View attachment 4060870View attachment 4060871

we did this as well for outside and have had no issues either

 

[Flasunshine1]

i ve been trying a few feeders for my flock, but i cant seem to find one that works.
first i tried this.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/314836593352?_skw=chicken+feeder&itmmeta=01JN4V34QSD1GMV2Y9GXAD4D3P&hash=item494db92ac8:g:TCMAAOSwQ1lnhysC&itmprp=enc:AQAKAAAA0FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1cCwF9hDzoaqiit6yG5m8ergxUuSZr2kXlr88UFGnuiPxycmIhZygJ9PmmBpoehTzoED/o0sozbZkeh8Su18Z39PIFdEy402Nd+WHn0pRH4q6Ay6/w1MozqBa62i14h3xuJiG2tlU0u8MAZlW+ANajrpxsU7o4qnuVpagVI/WNeBVyVU3C37K46uqdB8Xr9WslYSerZ3wwPYc+u4a8rA58Xctq5swk1aWtXF2QMfC2D2nc6rXxV/uqu8sGM7nN4bb8=|tkp:BlBMUP7LjJupZQ

however the chickens just seem to have the food everywhere withing an hour, thus bringing rats.

second i tried this.
https://www.dineachook.com.au/chicken-feeder/

however they cant get the food out, essentially have no access to food.

are there any other types of feedes out there?

thankyou

btw, im in australia

Made mine out of pvc. Works perfect.

 

[lintlicker]

Made mine out of pvc. Works perfect.

nice build. I have a 150lb feeder but not sure I like the gravity feed as I feel it gets bound up from time to time...been thinking about doing something like this and attaching it to the coop sidewalls.

 

[RockNRollCHIX]

Has anyone used these specific bucket feeders? They were just on Shark Tank and the inventor was very convincing.