All Things Treadle Feeder

[Anon112]

I've had treadle feeders for several months now, and they have been real game-changers when it comes to a growing rat problem that I had.

However, I'm still learning and currently I have two specific questions. However, my intention is for this to be a place that we can have general discussion and some Q&A about using/building/setting up treadle feeders.

So to start things off, my two questions:

1) I have four chicks who are about 9 weeks old. They've been in a "nursery" inside my main run where they have access to a regular feeder and waterer. I'm trying to give them more direct/intermingling social time with the flock (currently they are all visible to each other 24/7, and they all free range together for about 2-4 hours while I'm home to supervise). They aren't big enough to work the feeder yet, so they will still have to stay in the nursery for most of the day so that they can eat enough. My question is: in your opinion, is it safe to have them out and about where there is a treadle feeder without my direct supervision (like for a few hours before bedtime)? Obviously the concern is a big chicken would work the feeder, a chick would stick their head in, and then the feeder could close. Thoughts?

2) Now that the feed is hidden behind the steel door of the treadle feeder, the rats have started going after my oyster shell! They are eating like 1/2-1 cup per week! I'd like to set up a treadle feeder for oyster shell as well as for feed. Anyone done this? Any successes or warnings to share?

 

[Debbie292d]

I wouldn't stop them getting the calcium as it's a killer for them. Many rat poisons contain a version of calcium. It causes kidney failure in them, among other things.

Could you put some in a couple of more bowls and sit them further from the coop so they don't have to come in to get it?

 

[Anon112]

I wouldn't stop them getting the calcium as it's a killer for them. Many rat poisons contain a version of calcium. It causes kidney failure in them, among other things.

Could you put some in a couple of more bowls and sit them further from the coop so they don't have to come in to get it?

Whoa! Interesting!

I wonder why they're eating it then. And here I thought that in addition to their glossy coats from eating my feed, I was giving them strong bones with the calcium!

I'll try setting some a bit away from the run. (I've had chicks, so there has been some food spillage in the run because they can't access the treadle feeders yet, and when they come out of the "nursery" they sometimes trail out some crumbles).

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Whoa! Interesting!

I wonder why they're eating it then. And here I thought that in addition to their glossy coats from eating my feed, I was giving them strong bones with the calcium!

I'll try setting some a bit away from the run. (I've had chicks, so there has been some food spillage in the run because they can't access the treadle feeders yet, and when they come out of the "nursery" they sometimes trail out some crumbles).

It's a good example of "too much of a good thing." They're nowhere close to laying, and the lower amount of calcium that should be in their chick feed is all they need (along with lots of exercise, and vitamin D) until they're older.

I'd hold off on the calcium until they're around 16-18 weeks or so, or until they have bright red combs and wattles and/or are squatting. I don't think that they need to be loading up on calcium this early (maybe they're eating it because they think it's grit?), but by the time that they're within a month of expected laying or at showing actual signs of imminent laying, that's the time to start offering it.

 

[Anon112]

It's a good example of "too much of a good thing." They're nowhere close to laying, and the lower amount of calcium that should be in their chick feed is all they need (along with lots of exercise, and vitamin D) until they're older.

I'd hold off on the calcium until they're around 16-18 weeks or so, or until they have bright red combs and wattles and/or are squatting. I don't think that they need to be loading up on calcium this early (maybe they're eating it because they think it's grit?), but by the time that they're within a month of expected laying or at showing actual signs of imminent laying, that's the time to start offering it.

Oh, sorry. Let me be more clear: My chicks are in a "nursery", which is a structure I built inside of my chicken run. They stay in there during the day, and when I come home in the afternoon I let everyone out to free range together.

There is oyster shell out in the run for the big girls, and the treadle feeder is out with them as well. Inside the nursery with the chicks is only feed and fresh water.

The rats, sadly, have been able to tunnel into the run. (I have an apron, but there are vulnerable points at my corner posts, and the rats dug under the posts, SIGH). They cannot access the feed (the run has a treadle feeder, and they can't get into the nursery), and so have started eating the oyster shell.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Oh, sorry. Let me be more clear: My chicks are in a "nursery", which is a structure I built inside of my chicken run. They stay in there during the day, and when I come home in the afternoon I let everyone out to free range together.

There is oyster shell out in the run for the big girls, and the treadle feeder is out with them as well. Inside the nursery with the chicks is only feed and fresh water.

The rats, sadly, have been able to tunnel into the run. (I have an apron, but there are vulnerable points at my corner posts, and the rats dug under the posts, SIGH). They cannot access the feed (the run has a treadle feeder, and they can't get into the nursery), and so have started eating the oyster shell.

Wow, how bizarre! I'm trying to imagine what that's all about.

Sorry, I think several of us lost track of what exactly was happening with the shell.

 

[Anon112]

Wow, how bizarre! I'm trying to imagine what that's all about.

I know!

I noticed my oyster shell was depleted from the different dishes and thought I'd just lost track. Refilled all the dishes. A week later, it was all gone again! Normally it takes my hens a month or two to make a big dent in their dishes.

And you can even see a little "trail" where they are carrying it to their little rat holes. I live near the woods which are full of berries and nuts and insects. It's so weird.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Great questions posted so far.

First, a picture of the treadle feeder as there are many different types.

Some types, like the light weight under $50.00 Chinese made feeder have such a light lid the might not kill too many chicks and they might be okay to use. Years ago, when they first hit the market, I manufactured a batch and called it the Marie Antoinette 2017. They work great for meat birds where you aren't going to be too upset at losing one or two out of a hundred birds. They are very slow sellers though even for $36 plus shipping.

Other feeders even the ones with the inward swinging doors are, there is no nice way to put it, they are death traps to young birds and should NEVER be used around chicks less than say three to four pounds. They will either get smashed under the lid if it is one of the many guillotine style Chinese made feeders like the Grandpa feeder and its many clones, other chickens step down from the top and snap the necks of anything eating at the time. Or their heads are crushed in the many, many pinch points on the rube goldberg mechanism. Or small chicks get trapped inside the feeder when the lid closes and if another hen doesn't come by to eat soon enough.... With the better designed feeders with the inward swinging door the young chicks can get back in behind the door and smother themselves if there are enough of them, or just disable the feeder by blocking the door.

There are some inward swinging door feeders with a tiny feed tray tucked deep inside the feeder but they are piss poor feeders in the first place, chickens hate using them because they have to bend over and jam their heads up inside the feeder, or they have plastic parts that the rats just eat through in a few days. Those might work with very small chicks but just for a few weeks to a month and a half, long enough to grow enough to have both the weight and the reach for a real treadle feeder.

If you are proactive, buy the treadle feeder before you need one, you don't have a rat problem to begin with and can easily coast by a couple of months when you cycle in a flock of broilers or raise a few replacement hens. And if you don't already have a rat problem the quality of the feeder can be much lower as the rats never build up enough of a population if there isn't just open feed laying around like in one of the PVC feeders.

The oyster shell theft is a sign that your feeders are working and that the rats have become desperate. Their buffet is gone, they and their young are starving. The young are eaten quickly once the food is no longer available. As much as I discourage poison, now is the time if you can use it safely as the rats are much more likely to try something strange. You won't need it more than two to three days but if you can just hold out the rats will leave or die of starvation.

Oyster shell inside a feeder is very possible. Just dig in a couple of tiny containers, quarter cup maybe? Might have to screw them in place to hold them below the swing arc of the door. Or just dump a cup of shells inside one corner and refill when it gets low. Better, oyster shell is cheap, let the rats OD on it.

The other reason I'd like to see pictures of your feeders is to determine if they need anchored or are fine free standing. People do some crazy stuff with feeders, hanging them two feet off the ground and the chickens try to fly up, land on a treadle that quickly plunges a foot downward and under the feeder, with the door slamming on their head or neck and killing the hen. Or they don't think (or read the instructions) to allow for a landing space in front of the feeder, expecting hens to jump the height of a patio block plus the height of the treadle to land on a treadle step that will plunge two to three inches down and slam on top of the single paver they did put under the treadle.

Another thing, if you insist on having young chickens around, set the tension on the door that also lifts the treadle as light as possible given the rat infestation. Soft close feeders are very finicky, they take a lot of tweaking by the ultimate customer if they are after a slow close action instead of the soft close action that the feature is marketed as. It can be done but expect a juggling of spring tension, moving the metal bracket that holds the cylinder back and forth until you find the magic spot. I would love to find a longer stroke cylinder that is easy to mount and one of these days I will have the time to experiment with an adjustable bracket that can move forward and back to allow fine tuning to see if a true slow close door can be achieved and marketed safely without a horde of returns eating up what little profit there is in selling feeders.

You have already gotten solid advice on oyster shell and young chickens. Not needed, only for layers, heavy layers at that.

 

[Anon112]

Great questions posted so far.

First, a picture of the treadle feeder as there are many different types.

It's one of yours! Medium sized soft-close.

With the better designed feeders with the inward swinging door the young chicks can get back in behind the door and smother themselves if there are enough of them, or just disable the feeder by blocking the door.

The chicks are too big at this point to jump in the feeder. They are about 9-10 weeks old at this point. They also eat on their own for most of the day in a secure "nursery", then I let them out to free range for a few house, so they've shown little interest in the treadle feeders thus far. I'll have to weigh them to see how heavy they are. They are heavy enough that the door moves when they stand on the treadle, but not heavy enough to fully open it. I suppose I could adjust the feeder to make the door open more easily.

Oyster shell inside a feeder is very possible. Just dig in a couple of tiny containers, quarter cup maybe? Might have to screw them in place to hold them below the swing arc of the door. Or just dump a cup of shells inside one corner and refill when it gets low. Better, oyster shell is cheap, let the rats OD on it.

Now that I know it's bad for them . . . it is tempting to leave it out.

The other reason I'd like to see pictures of your feeders is to determine if they need anchored or are fine free standing.

Mine are (as per the instructions!) securely mounted to the wall with a flat platform underneath to make sure it is level.

 

[RoyalChick]

I have two of Al’s feeders. Total game changers regarding the rats. I also have 8 week old chicks.
My attempt to have them not use the rat-proof feeders was foiled by the broody hen raising them who would not let them eat from the open feeder and made them take pellets from the rat proof feeder. She stands on the treadle until they are done eating.
What I have done is use an old binder clip to stop it closing completely whenever the chicks are out and about.
Of course that means it isn’t rat proof, but neither is an open feeder.
I can remove the clip at night so it is rat proof again.
I tried removing a clip on one yesterday during the day and one chick got his head stuck because his sister just got heavy enough to open it, and unlike the broody hen the sister didn’t stay on the treadle until he finished eating. No harm done, but I will continue with the binder clip until I am sure they can use the feeder.
Picture below of mother hen holding it open for her little ones and of the binder clip which holds it open so the chicks can eat when they are out and about.