While the chicks were still young enough to be indoors due to their heat requirements (and my ignorance of the Mama Heating Pad) they figured out how to kick off the top. We commented a friend of ours with a many more, but younger chicks about that problem. He said that their chicks didn't do that. But, the next week they started too.
Otherwise it was fine. They didn't mind it. Well, I guess they did, since they put their collective minds to removing the top. But, they ate from it.
Pros: holds lots of food, easy to clean, easy to set up, not knocked down easily.
Cons: chicks perch on it, takes up a bit of space.
This is my personal favorite for chick feeders. It holds a fair amount of food and works wonderfully for a semi large amount of chicks. It comes in medal or plastic and you can get different colors of the plastic. I wouldn't recommend this if you have less then 7 chicks though.
Cons: It easily gets full of bedding and poop and is a pain to clean out.
This feeder does the job well enough. I just don't enjoy cleaning it out when the chicks scratch bedding in it. Even adult birds kick up dirt into it, and they have trouble getting out all the food. A lot gets wasted, and that irks me when they waste food. Also it is easily tipped over. On the bright side it is metal and lasts forever.
Cons: Hard to slide sometimes, chicks confused at first, Gets dirty quick
It's not a bad feeder, works well for the 12 chicks I have. They were a little confused at first about how to eat out of it. It does get dirty fairly quick(Should have gone with a hanging feeder) I have a hard time sliding it, when I first put it together I pinched my finger and got a blood blister. Chicks love to sit on top of it.
We got this feeder thinking it would be helpful to have a bit larger one that would hold more food for our young chicks. They hated the slide top and refused to stick their heads into the feeder holes. We ended up taking the top off and just using the bottom part as a trough (and dealt with the mess they made tromping in the food). Finally gave up using it altogether when the chicks got so big they were able to tip it over (on purpose maybe?) and spilling food everywhere.
Pros: Holds plenty food, and is big enough for many hicks to eat at same time.
Cons: Some birds use it as a perch
We have several of these feeders, they work great. Holds plenty of feed, keeps the chicks spaced while they're eating so all birds can get in an eat...None get squeezed out
My girls will not eat from these. As little chicks--some, but not very well. They take up too much ground space, better to go with a round upright feeder that is more vertical.
I thought it would help prevent so much wasted food but we have had several hatches of chicks that I tried it with (including quail) and they just don't like to eat from it! I end up just taking the top off and using it like a trough. the hanging feeders are a better way to go.
