Best Spill Free feeder

[Pentatonchix]

I use the Rent a Coop feeder & have had 0 spillage. No critters yet & it's stayed dry outside for a year, up on a cinder block.View attachment 2435253

I have the same sort of feeder, but we made it ourselves (the one online is kinda expensive...) with a 50 gallon bucket and some pvc elbows. zero feed as spilled so far (and we have some very messy girls). we keep our feeder inside the coop, so no rats can get in, but if you wanted it outside, you could always put pvc caps onto the holes to cover them I think. on top of the feeder, we rolled up some wire mesh to prevent the hens from sitting and pooping on top of the feeder. if you would like a photo I can take one.

 

[WindingRoad]

Ha! I guess I have neat girls, lol. Have you raised it up off the ground?

I can only put it so high . I have been keeping my girls in lately mostly because of the weather. So maybe the rats have found a better buffet. I don't know anyone around here with chickens. Maybe they went back to the river where they came from. I haven't seen so many adults in last week or so. And none for the last couple of days. We are suppose to get 8-16 inches of snow Sat/Sun. We'll see.

 

[WindingRoad]

I have the same sort of feeder, but we made it ourselves (the one online is kinda expensive...) with a 50 gallon bucket and some pvc elbows. zero feed as spilled so far (and we have some very messy girls). we keep our feeder inside the coop, so no rats can get in, but if you wanted it outside, you could always put pvc caps onto the holes to cover them I think. on top of the feeder, we rolled up some wire mesh to prevent the hens from sitting and pooping on top of the feeder. if you would like a photo I can take one.

I have feeders outside with flat tops. I put a plant pot right in the middle of the top full of soil. No room for them to roost. Nothing gets into he food while your girls are out of the coop? How high up do you have the feeder.

 

[Livvy0987]

My chickens flick out about 10-25% of the feed in the galvanized hanging feeder. I've tried lowering the tube, raising and lowering the whole feed but still are able to spill feed. What's the best spill-free chicken feeder that can feed a mixed sized flock.

Something that works pretty well for my quail is just a plastic tote with head-sized holes in there

 

[WindingRoad]

Ha! I guess I have neat girls, lol. Have you raised it up off the ground?

I have it up about 6 inches. And the rats still get in.

 

[aart]

I have it up about 6 inches. And the rats still get in.

You may benefit from a treadle feeder then.....and some rat killing activity.

 

[WindingRoad]

I have the same sort of feeder, but we made it ourselves (the one online is kinda expensive...) with a 50 gallon bucket and some pvc elbows. zero feed as spilled so far (and we have some very messy girls). we keep our feeder inside the coop, so no rats can get in, but if you wanted it outside, you could always put pvc caps onto the holes to cover them I think. on top of the feeder, we rolled up some wire mesh to prevent the hens from sitting and pooping on top of the feeder. if you would like a photo I can take one.

The rats come into my coop during the day while the birds are in the run.

 

[Pentatonchix]

I have feeders outside with flat tops. I put a plant pot right in the middle of the top full of soil. No room for them to roost. Nothing gets into he food while your girls are out of the coop? How high up do you have the feeder.

Surprisingly nothing has gotten in. But we have found rats outside...but that's probably cus of the poop. The elbow PVCs are about (chicken) chest height using blocks. This picture from the Rent-a-Coop amazon posting shows why nothing spills. They have it propped up higher than I do.

 

[Al Gerhart]

I have a "rat proof" feeder that the rats stand on their hind legs and push the door open and hop in the trough. They also get into my Rent-a-Coop feeder with he large PVC elbows. They climb right in while my birds are in the run during the day. I've actually seen them on their hind legs eating out of the "rat proof" one right along with my chickens.

If it is one of my feeders then the spring isn't working. Can you send a picture of the front right side of the feeder? Something is not right if a rat can push the door open. There is simply no way even a large rat can push past a properly installed spring loaded door. Dozens of rats, yes, two, not possible.

And another post said you had the feeder hung off the ground. That is a huge mistake unless you have a block in front that the treadle can bottom out on. No chicken wants to perch up on a wobbly treadle, they feel unsafe and it is very unsafe.