My new "entire bag at a time" feeder

[Olive Hill]

Another suggested addition for your consideration: a hinged lid for the trough area to deter nighttime feed snatchers -- mice and their ilk.

 

[Nuzzy]

Quote:
Guess we'll see and reevaluate if needed

They didn't seem to rake out food from the PVC feeder and it's opening dimensions and height were near the same.



Quote:
Not a bad idea

Luckily the coop currently is critter tight with hardware cloth everywhere, both up high and buried as a skirt, so I haven't had to deal with them... yet...

 

[orloffcornishmix]

That's an awesome feeder. I was wondering, do you know if they will over eat with access to so much? Being new to the chicken world i keep being told about not feeding too much as they will gain too much weight. Is this correct or am I being told falsehoods....thks....

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Overfeeding only applies to Cornish hybrid meat chickens.

Laying breeds of chickens are typically fed free choice like this.

 

[Mahonri]

My only hens that seemingly eat non stop are my marans, but they are huge and so are their eggs.

nice feeder, I'll have to make a pic of what you put on top of the "peak" it's a roll bar that moves "rolls" so when they fly up there to sit it's unstable and they get right off. Otherwise, they'll be jumping up there and pooping in the feed.

 

[RedReiner]

You could always add a little porch roof from the front eve out over the trough portion. some little corner posts, that would keep them from pooping in the feed part. make it kind of fancy too

I like it!

 

[Nuzzy]

Thought today that I should update this thread with my results since putting this thing into use.

I have been very pleased with it! I luckily haven't had any problems with birds sitting on it, pooping in it, or excessively kicking out food (your mileage may vary). Early in the winter I noticed softer egg shells (yard full of snow), and started mixing oyster shell in every time I refilled, which alleviated the problem. Towards the very last of the food, sometimes I have to reach in and knock it down a bit since the OSB is a rough surface, but that's usually my signal to buy more feed anyways. It does take up more floor space than a PVC style hopper, which could certainly be a downer if floor space was at a premium. But it does it's intended job for me and my birdies with very little intervention!