Auto Feeder

[chickmanna]

Thanks for the reply and the pic. I expect mine to show in the mail any day and will be installing right away, too.

 

[blackmilly]

WONDERFUL!!!! Thank you for sharing. I'm gonna try my luck at making my own. If it is a success I will post which materials that were readily avalible worked best. I only have 4 hens so one of these little jewels should serve me well. I have ordered the water nipples as well I should have then next week! One my way to a neat and clean coop!

 

[chickmanna]

I got my thingamajiggy in the mail yesterday and looks just like the pic from jmagill. I was dying to see how it worked, so I poked a hole in a coffee can, inserted the device, added some feed(crumbles) and it seems like it will be o.k. The "T" end goes in the container and acts like a baffle of sorts to regulate the release of the feed.

My only advice so far is to make the hole in the container no bigger than necessary to get the end that the chickens peck through the container. Supplier recommended 12mm hole when using crumbles, which is just about the size of the end piece that has to go through the hole. It seemed small but in use it released quite a bit of feed.

I'll post pics when I've had a chance to get it permanently installed. After seeing the video, and recently introducing my chicks to nipple waterers, I don't expect any problems getting the chicks to use it.

Annie

 

[gumbii]

BUMP!!!...



i just came across this thread via google... saw the video on you tube...


i would like a bit more information on how this works... there's no spring or anything...? is the top piece of plastic flat like a key head, or round like a disc on top of it...? also, how big does the hole have to be for grain food...? i would want to make several for my kids/chickens...

 

[chickmanna]

The top piece is flat, like a fin. The supplier says use 12mm hole for crumbles, 15mm for grain and 20 mm for pellets. This translates into approx. 1/2 inch, 5/8 inch and 3/4 inch.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/24595_imag0149.jpg

I have been working with this for about a week now, and not having a lot of luck. Maybe I just have dumber than normal chickens, but they don't seem to be getting the hang of it. I put a strawberry on the end and they go for the strawberry, and the feed that falls down then, but don't seem to come back to the feeder later. Plus they don't seem to be wild about having feed falling down on their heads.

I'm attempting to use crumbles, the video on eBay, etc. shows device using pellets. I'm not giving up yet, tho, so please if anyone has ideas, I'd love to hear them.

Annie

Edited to add pic.

 

[jmagill]

Okay I finally set mine up.

I hung it in the run. Put some food in it. The chickens ran up to it and the feeding began.

This worked great. I did not have to show them at all.

 

[chickmanna]

Jmagill - I'm still struggling with mine. Can you give a few more details? Pellets or crumbles, what type container, what size hole, etc.

Thanks, Annie

 

[jmagill]

Crumbles. I drilled the hole in the bottom of a bucket. I made the hole just big enough to get the end through. Don't remember what size that was. I will try to remember to look next time I am in the barn. I started with a 7/16th bit and worked up.

I am using chick starter and it is a fine crumble.

 

[chickmanna]

Thanks for the info. I'm encouraged to give mine another try.

Annie

 

[jmagill]

An update after about 10 days of use.

I love this thing! They only eat what they need. No playing in the food, no dishing it up all over the place just to see if there is something better still in the dish. My fed bill has gone down. There is now no waste. I will be buying a couple more.