Grandpa's Feeder (treadle feeder) and my clueless chickens (I'd love to receive any helpful suggest

[Carolyn252]

So far the Grandpa's Feeder is winning the IQ test. http://www.grandpasfeeders.com/

Five of my seven hens would rather starve to death than step up on the treadle. (I think that the movement of the lid is what's spooking them.)

However, two of my seven have had the lightbulb moment and can open the Feeder at will. Their flockmates hang around waiting for one of the two geniuses to step up and open the feast for them.

I am determined to get the other five on board. Especially because the two lowest-pecking order girls will indeed perish if they don't figure it out. The others rarely let them get a nibble or two before the bully-pecks rout them from the Feeder.

I did follow the directions that came with the Grandpa Feeder. One full week leaving the treadle locked in place keeping the lid wide open. Followed by one full week leaving the treadle only half depressed with the lid half open, and now it's been two weeks with the lid closed.

I'm now thinking of a makeshift ramp that will reach the treadle. Maybe that will trigger some inspiration. We shall see. We live in hope... (The backstory is that wild birds used to visit every day, eating from the open feeders I've tried. Not cool!!)

The photos are from the Grandpa's Feeders website. I have mine set up inside the ChickArena, sitting on woodshavings, not grass.

 

[Carolyn252]

Well, one more genius has figured it out. HennyPenny bravely has stepped up to the plate and mastered the dilemma. She can now open the feeder at will. So, three Einsteins and four birdbrains. We continue to live in hope.

 

[Outpost JWB]

They will figure it out. Neat concept. Wouldn't work for my flock of over 100 though. Keep us posted on how they do.

 

[CarolB865]

I have the Feed-O-Matic Feeder and I love it! I bought it because one of my girls is cross beaked and she'll spend half the day there eating. Easier for her than the PVC one I had. Took a little bit for the flock to get used to, but the treadle is much bigger for them to stand on and open it. On'y had to prop it open for a few days and they all got the hang of it.

http://hogslat.com/feed-o-matic-chicken-feeder

 

[Carolyn252]

Slowly, slowly, we make progress. Can open it at will: HennyPenny, LittleWhiteFrizzle, BuffOrp, BigWhiteDelaware,EE. So, five Einsteins; two clueless.

 

[YellowBrahmaBarn]

Slowly, slowly, we make progress. Can open it at will: HennyPenny, LittleWhiteFrizzle, BuffOrp, BigWhiteDelaware,EE. So, five Einsteins; two clueless.

I know this is an old thread, but I'm hoping you're still there... I bought a Grandpa's feeder and we are on the second 'try'. First time none of 10 ladies would step on the treadle and were starving themselves - for 2 days. I thought it was because the metal was too cold so I covered it with cardboard and 3 of them began eating out of it but the others wouldn't. I caved and went back to the open feeder. We have another mite infestation (lots of wild birds visit), and I'm determined to make the Grandpa's feeder switch. Looking for some encouragement/advice. Did everyone figure it out? Did you do anything to help them?

 

[Al Gerhart]

Having that guillotine style overhead door is one of the huge design flaws in the grandpa feeder. That forces you to keep the feeder in the open or half open position for weeks, the birds learn that the lid isn't supposed to move when they step on the feeder, then you remove the restraining bolt and what are they to think?

And the rodents and wild birds learn that the feed is stored there so many times they learn to swarm the feeder or if it is a rat, just push the lid open.

Sadly the first real competition for the grandpa feeder came in 2011 yet they have refused to modify their design. They use affiliate links so bloggers can make a few bucks recommending their feeder on Amazon or their own website so people see the positive reviews and spend a lot of money for a product that ought to have failed years ago.

The best fix for both you and the company is to return the feeder. When enough people do this they will fix the problems. Negative feedback isn't fun to get but it sure motivates the company.

If you are determined to make this work I would first remove the feeder for at least seven days as chickens have pretty short memories. Then start training again WITHOUT using the training bolts so the birds see the lid move when the treadle is stepped on.

Generally I say that chickens will not starve themselves to death on properly designed feeder with an inward swinging door but the guillotine style doors are a whole other thing. Would you eat from a bin knowing that the lid swung up over your head? That takes a lot of intelligence and faith, something that chickens simply do not have, they survive using instinct. Watch chicks scatter when someone peeks in over the top of their brooder, instinct tells them to freak out from stuff overhead, AKA hawks and owls. But, if a couple of your birds have figured out to trust themselves and the feeder eventually they might teach the others. But, didn't you say you had some bully birds causing a problem? For some strange reason the smarter birds tend to be lowest on the pecking order and they do tend to run off the smart birds using the feeder.

Send it back! No properly designed feeder should require being left open for weeks during training.

 

[YellowBrahmaBarn]

Al, thanks very much for your perspective and the suggestion to reintroduce it without the
training bolts. None would step on the treadle with the last go - they didn't eat for 4 days and I couldn't watch them starve so I opened it again. My girls are very hawk savvy (we live by an open farm field) so I highly doubt that they will ever learn to eat from it. I'm liking the feeder from Premier One - what is your favorite pest resistant feeder?

 

[Dephora]

how long did you leave the training bolt at the highest position? Before moving on to the next position.

 

[YellowBrahmaBarn]

how long did you leave the training bolt at the highest position? Before moving on to the next position.

The first 'go' we followed the instructions that came with the feeder exactly - I believe it was one week for the highest, one week for the next, then closed the lid. This second go, I thought I'd try it for longer to see if it would make any difference so we left it on the highest for 10 days.