Candy Cane Feeders vs. Hanging Feeder vs. Step Feeder

[CSDeVault]

Hello,

I would be interested in hearing about everyone's take on different feeders. I have always used the 'old school' hanging feeders but I am entertaining the idea of using candy cane feeders with the inlet on the outside of the coop so I can refill without entering the coop. In addition, I know some people like the feeder types where the chicken steps on a bar to open the feeder.

What are you preferences?

 

[Eggstatic ChickyDoo]

I have PVC feeders that I mostly like- mine hold 2 weeks of food and they were easy and inexpensive enough to build that I have 8 feeding stations (= ZERO food competition issues even with a wide variety of sizes and personalities in the flock). Unfortunately, they also do a great job of feeding the rats and mice, so I'm playing with the idea of rigging a treadle cover for them, if I can figure out something that will work for everyone from Seabrights to Dominiques and RIRs.

 

[Alaskan]

I have PVC feeders that I mostly like- mine hold 2 weeks of food and they were easy and inexpensive enough to build that I have 8 feeding stations (= ZERO food competition issues even with a wide variety of sizes and personalities in the flock). Unfortunately, they also do a great job of feeding the rats and mice, so I'm playing with the idea of rigging a treadle cover for them, if I can figure out something that will work for everyone from Seabrights to Dominiques and RIRs.

You could buy caps for the pipes and cap them every night... but yes... twice a day every day.

 

[Alaskan]

I never liked the idea of the candy cane feeders, because I am NOT talented enough to pour feed into a little pipe without spilling.

I have a huge trashcan pvc pipe feeder and it works well. It hold over 100 pounds of feed.

I do not have rats.... I have some tiny rodents, but not many.

I also use (in a different coop) a traditional metal hanging feeder, and that works fine for the smaller flock in that coop.

If you are having a huge rat problem the treadle feeders or some way to pick up and remove feed every night might be needed.

PVC pipe feeders can have caps put on, small feeders can be brought into the house.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Bringing the feed in at night just means the rodents will eat during the day. Some flocks will kill mice but few will tackle a rat.

The PVC feeders are great for starting out but you pay a price in stolen feed and wasted feed but if on a budget, sometimes you have to crawl before you walk. The hanging feeders don't stop rodents at all. I trapped some mice last year and got the bright idea to keep them in a barrel for some feeder testing. 55 gallon steel drum, smooth inside, and the mice were able to jump right out of that nearly 3' tall drum.

The thing about a good treadle feeder is that you begin paying for one when you have chickens even if you don't have one in wasted feed. Avoid all of the ones on Amazon, Ebay, or Estey, every single one is Chinese made. Look for a heavy counterweight, an inward swinging door, no plastic, and a stiff spring loaded door. If it doesn't have those features it won't be rat proof. Pay close attention to the negative reviews. Those are usually of two sorts, crazy people with insane expectations or people with rodent problems that didn't just need a chicken feeder, they needed a rat proof feeder. There is one website that reviews feeders and doesn't have affiliate links where they make money off their recommendations. Google around for something like chicken feeder reviews, you will be able to find it, they review one type of feeder per article and cover many different kinds of feeders.

Research, research, ,research, before you buy.

 

[Eggs2chicks]

You could buy caps for the pipes and cap them every night... but yes... twice a day every day.

I thought of stringing a lid on the pvc feeder up to the coop automatic door to close the lids in morning and evening just like the doors for the girls.

 

[Eggs2chicks]

Hello,

I would be interested in hearing about everyone's take on different feeders. I have always used the 'old school' hanging feeders but I am entertaining the idea of using candy cane feeders with the inlet on the outside of the coop so I can refill without entering the coop. In addition, I know some people like the feeder types where the chicken steps on a bar to open the feeder.

What are you preferences?

We made a few of the pvc candy cane style feeders. Though I will say you will spill feed out of the tubes attracting rodents out of the coop. We planted spearmint around the outside of the coop and run to keep the vermin from coming around. So far so good. Eventually we moved them all inside the run. They tend to kick a lot of food out though. The first one we mad had the inner pipe and extended bottom that really did t help the feed from molding or easy removal or cleaning. These are easy to clean and care for just keep them off the ground (moisture makes mold).

 

[linguini]

I started with a few pvc feeders of different sizes and design, they worked quite well but the chickens still manage to spill their feed. The advantage is that we have enough capacity with all the PVC pipes that we can supply feeds upto more than one week for 8 chickens.

However, since I've been feeding them twice a day and we don't have any roden issues, I eventually replaced the PVC feeders with two long rain gutter as trough hung along the base of their enclosed run (5 ft long). No spill, keep feed fresh, and everyone can eat from their favorite spot! The gutter turned trough worked out well when I experimented with fermented feed and/or when I give them kitchen scraps. A 10-ft gutter costs $5 or so from Home Depot.

 

[tigger19687]

I've Used the PVC feeders in the past, liked them but I had a 'biller' (one that pulls the feed out with their beak).
I have a make shift one for this year because I am lazy. Trash bucket, 18 gal ?, and a downspout extender into a feeder bowl. Works well so far and it's high enough that they don't bill it out.
I think you can click on my Coop page to see the old PVC one.
Here is what I have this year. I also have another 2 sided feeder bowl that I put wet warm mushy feed- I drilled to holes in the top rear lip and it's attached to the wall across the way. It comes off the wall easy so I make it in the house and bring it out when it is super cold out and it's only in the evening I do that before they go to bed
Left side of pic