Grandpa's Feeders Automatic Chicken Feeder - Sturdy Galvanized Steel Poultry Feeders - Rat Proof & No Spill with Weatherproof Lid - Standard Size for 6-12 Chickens 10 days (20lb Feed)

Product Information

My Polish pullets, Calista Flockheart and Ally McBeak, were the first to explore the standard feeder as the bigger birds looked on curiously. and all the hens are still happily using it - not a hint of being scared at all, they are all confidently hopping on and off the feeder.

If you've read any of my other product reviews, you'll know that I have a "Golden Egg Award" where one egg means "don't go near this product! At first, I found the chickens were pecking at the lid and I would partially hold the lid open for them until one stepped onto the treadle plate as you’ll see in the photo gallery (my hand is holding it slightly open if you look bottom right) but I found out after observation that my rather large birds could comfortably stand back and reach over the top of the treadle plate to the feed without having to stand on it, so it took mine a little longer than most to get the hang of it.A sloped back for true gravity feeding ensures there will be no food getting stuck at the back of the feeder going stale. There's nothing we want more than for your chickens to be full and happy and for you to enjoy peace of mind that your automated feeder is working properly. Extrapolating from the startling data found here, I calculated that 25 rats can consume 500 pounds of feed per year. In short though it’s a mite that burrows under the skin of chickens’ legs and feet [despite the name it can affect their comb and wattles too. We put a piece of weatherstripping on the flap that shuts down so that we would not have to listen to the sound all day.

A standard feeder can have 3- 4 chickens eating together at one time, but can be easily be used to feed a flock.To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. I always bring the feeders in at night, which is no great hardship, but when we go away the neighbours leave the feeders out which no doubt encourages Mr Rat to come back. Well the GF has arrived today (delivered sometime between 5-6pm this evening while I was out walking the dog Never heard of a courier working on a Saturday evening before! The metal feeder itself was bashed up and one of the two PVC pipes that attaches to the treadle was bent and broken. I found mice droppings in the feeder today, however, which is the whole reason I paid so much money for this product, so I am very disappointed with that result.

If you are concerned that your fowl are finicky and might have trouble adjusting to their new feeding system, we are happy to assist in this area. At the same time Grandpa's Feeders also provide a protected way of feeding your backyard chickens on demand, allowing them to access their food when hungry, ensuring optimal laying and happy chickens. I found my birds were slightly nervous of this new shiny feeder (their normal feeder is green and red) but within a day were eating from it. A thin sheet metal strip like this would be fine if it was under tension but under compression it is going to flex and snap or allow the door to bind.

I'm really pleased actually, as I am going away on Sunday for a couple of nights and now I don't have to ask my neighbour to set the feeder every morning when she opens up. I genuinely only recommend products that I have bought myself and love, or that someone I know and trust has and loves. This product is ok, but I doubt I will purchase another even when I increase my flock in the next month or so. It took my older chickens an extra two weeks at the half open setting to get used to the movement and noise, but they did get used to it. Anyone who has ever seen a rat get into their poultry feeder knows that feeling that something must be done.