New run chicken automatic feeder

[DuckChick758]

Anyone else try the new run chicken automatic feeder? I got it to better rat proof my run at night. I love the run chicken door, so I figured this would be good, and it is…it closes and opens well, the timer is reliable. The problem is that the feed gets stuck and won’t fall down after a while? It’s like the slot where the food falls is too narrow. I have to continually go in and shake it to release more feed which sort of defeats the purpose of it being automatic. Anyone else have this issue? I feed pellets, wondering if switching to crumbles would work better?

It’s not cheap, so I’m sort of irritated that this is an issue! Just wondering if it’s working for anyone else who tried it!

 

[Debbie292d]

I searched here and couldn't come up with any other posts about it. It must be new.

That's the trouble with sites like Run-Chicken that don't allow reviews so you can't see what others think. They are the only ones selling them.

I found contact info:

24/7 Email:
[email protected]

Customer support number:
+1 888-851-8826

Business hours are Monday to Friday 9.30 a.m-15.00 p.m PST.

 

[DuckChick758]

I searched here and couldn't come up with any other posts about it. It must be new.

That's the trouble with sites like Run-Chicken that don't allow reviews so you can't see what others think. They are the only ones selling them.

I found contact info:

24/7 Email:
[email protected]

Customer support number:
+1 888-851-8826

Business hours are Monday to Friday 9.30 a.m-15.00 p.m PST.

It is new! I’ve been waiting for someone to make something like this, so I did buy right when they released it! I’m still holding out hope that it’ll work better if I switch to crumbles

 

[aart]

I feed pellets, wondering if switching to crumbles would work better?

More than likely, yes.
Got a link to the feeder?

 

[Al Gerhart]

Interesting and I give them high points for trying something different. Looks well made, it is quite pretty, but the fundamental idea is deeply flawed and the design itself need improvements simply to be usable.

It might be useful for silkies and bantams and small chicks. I can see a scenario where IF the rest of the feed is kept in a rat proof feeder the rodents might not be around during the few weeks that chicks are growing big enough to use a proper feeder. Long term use though is destined to fail even for the silkies and banties unless they are in a Ft Knox coop, don't free range, and there is a back up feeder for if the feed fails to flow as the OP states or the feeder door electronics fail. Then again, if the coop is rodent proof, why spend $159?

What I don't like, starting with the worst.

Opening and closing a feeder door 20 minutes before dark and after light does very little to stop feed theft.

We actually built prototypes using timers on our feeder but the electronics and motor cost way too much, weren't likely to survive the ammonia and humidity of most chicken runs, and when it failed it had a 50% chance of failing closed and starving a flock. Big engineering no no, like motor switches, you use the expensive magnetic contactors so when the power goes off the machine doesn't restart when the power is restored whether it is a second long brown out or a long power interruption. You have to design for liability reasons and for customer safety first and foremost. This project went along with an auto door we were prototyping, both were discontinued after seeing just how much problems they can be and thinking about returns and repairs. Better to leave it to someone else. I like selling products that work.

But past the durability and safety issues, this would train the rats and wild birds to visit during daylight hours and they will. Wild birds are not nocturnal, they would chow down, rodents prefer to be nocturnal but will happily chow down during daylight hours even if they have no concealment coming and going to the feeder.

Nor is there a feeder lip extending into the feed bin AND the fools put the feed level to the top of the front of the feeder. The chickens will waste more than they eat. The feed level needs to be several inches lower than the top of the feeder front.

Now in the OP's case, the feed is jamming, so the feed is indeed low. Did they show the feed brimming over for marketing purposes? Deceptive.... unrealistic... going to be complaints. No mention of spare parts or feeder lip extensions. Good warranty, one year, but the warranty is void for most of the reasons that a feeder would stop working. 30 day return policy, full refund, but it HAS to be unused and the packaging in the original condition. So try it out and install it, put feed in it, you void the 30 day return guarantee. I get it, you have to limit returns or double the price to cover the returns. Lots of clueless people and OCD types or just people willing to abuse the return policies.

What I dislike the most is their claim of being rodent proof. At night, just until the rats chew through the aluminum, but during the day no way in heck. The recommended height is 4" off the ground, rodents can jump several feet and land right in that open feed tray. Rodents either chew or die, their teeth grow constantly, they wear them down or get teeth puncturing their eyes, faces, or brains. They love to chew for this very reason, aluminum won't stop a rodent. Concrete won't stop a rodent. Ceramic tile might, steel sheet metal will.

Other concerns, rainy days, better have the unit set on a schedule and if using the timer instead of the photo eye, update the programming every month or so.

Not American made, made in Slovania. Better than China to be sure. They operate under EU consumer policies, they ship from the EU using DHL. Interestingly, the 30 day return policy is really only 21 days under their terms and conditions.

The feeder is quite small, roughly6" x 10" x 12" and appears to be under the 5 pound limit for the dirt cheap post office shipping under international agreements, which put American companies at a severe disadvantage. I have to charge 20 to 40 bucks to ship the smallest feeder, these guys get the U.S. deliver done for $1.50 and most countries will subsidize the local exporting costs and ocean freight. I know China does. Holds 11 pounds, 44 day meals so to speak. The small feeder I make holds the same, $65 plus shipping, way less than half even with "free" shipping and the feeder is actually rat proof.

Check it out, might be useful for chicks in a Ft Knox coop. https://run-chicken.com/

 

[Al Gerhart]

Ah, one other point. If you buy, use a credit card but check their policy on charge backs from international shipments first. We ship international only because once the feeder is out of the country the Paypal customer guarantees end. Otherwise the shipping costs would be more than the feeder, shipping it there, shipping it back, would cost three times the amount we got paid. You would just have to refund the cost of the feeder and shipping and allow the customer to keep the feeder. Too many scammers out there to go down that road.

 

[Philau2285]

Interesting and I give them high points for trying something different. Looks well made, it is quite pretty, but the fundamental idea is deeply flawed and the design itself need improvements simply to be usable.

It might be useful for silkies and bantams and small chicks. I can see a scenario where IF the rest of the feed is kept in a rat proof feeder the rodents might not be around during the few weeks that chicks are growing big enough to use a proper feeder. Long term use though is destined to fail even for the silkies and banties unless they are in a Ft Knox coop, don't free range, and there is a back up feeder for if the feed fails to flow as the OP states or the feeder door electronics fail. Then again, if the coop is rodent proof, why spend $159?

What I don't like, starting with the worst.

Opening and closing a feeder door 20 minutes before dark and after light does very little to stop feed theft.

We actually built prototypes using timers on our feeder but the electronics and motor cost way too much, weren't likely to survive the ammonia and humidity of most chicken runs, and when it failed it had a 50% chance of failing closed and starving a flock. Big engineering no no, like motor switches, you use the expensive magnetic contactors so when the power goes off the machine doesn't restart when the power is restored whether it is a second long brown out or a long power interruption. You have to design for liability reasons and for customer safety first and foremost. This project went along with an auto door we were prototyping, both were discontinued after seeing just how much problems they can be and thinking about returns and repairs. Better to leave it to someone else. I like selling products that work.

But past the durability and safety issues, this would train the rats and wild birds to visit during daylight hours and they will. Wild birds are not nocturnal, they would chow down, rodents prefer to be nocturnal but will happily chow down during daylight hours even if they have no concealment coming and going to the feeder.

Nor is there a feeder lip extending into the feed bin AND the fools put the feed level to the top of the front of the feeder. The chickens will waste more than they eat. The feed level needs to be several inches lower than the top of the feeder front.

Now in the OP's case, the feed is jamming, so the feed is indeed low. Did they show the feed brimming over for marketing purposes? Deceptive.... unrealistic... going to be complaints. No mention of spare parts or feeder lip extensions. Good warranty, one year, but the warranty is void for most of the reasons that a feeder would stop working. 30 day return policy, full refund, but it HAS to be unused and the packaging in the original condition. So try it out and install it, put feed in it, you void the 30 day return guarantee. I get it, you have to limit returns or double the price to cover the returns. Lots of clueless people and OCD types or just people willing to abuse the return policies.

What I dislike the most is their claim of being rodent proof. At night, just until the rats chew through the aluminum, but during the day no way in heck. The recommended height is 4" off the ground, rodents can jump several feet and land right in that open feed tray. Rodents either chew or die, their teeth grow constantly, they wear them down or get teeth puncturing their eyes, faces, or brains. They love to chew for this very reason, aluminum won't stop a rodent. Concrete won't stop a rodent. Ceramic tile might, steel sheet metal will.

Other concerns, rainy days, better have the unit set on a schedule and if using the timer instead of the photo eye, update the programming every month or so.

Not American made, made in Slovania. Better than China to be sure. They operate under EU consumer policies, they ship from the EU using DHL. Interestingly, the 30 day return policy is really only 21 days under their terms and conditions.

The feeder is quite small, roughly6" x 10" x 12" and appears to be under the 5 pound limit for the dirt cheap post office shipping under international agreements, which put American companies at a severe disadvantage. I have to charge 20 to 40 bucks to ship the smallest feeder, these guys get the U.S. deliver done for $1.50 and most countries will subsidize the local exporting costs and ocean freight. I know China does. Holds 11 pounds, 44 day meals so to speak. The small feeder I make holds the same, $65 plus shipping, way less than half even with "free" shipping and the feeder is actually rat proof.

Check it out, might be useful for chicks in a Ft Knox coop. https://run-chicken.com/

I have 2, waste way too much food. Unless I modify them, they will only be used when we are on vacation. I agree, the food needs to be at least 3-4 inches beneath the lip of the feeder.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Good to have the feed wastage confirmed. I knew from long experience that having feed that high was unrealistic.