Chicken Feeders for Larger Flock

[Harley Chick]

I have 30 chickens currently in our LF coop. I would like to what types of feeders others use with this sized flock that doesn't waste the feed all over the ground. Prices of feed are not getting any better and I need to be frugal. My flock free ranges all day for added information.

 

[nuthatched]

What type of feeders do you have now? Have you tried the trash can/pvc pipe no waste feeders?

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I swear by the Rent-a-Coop 20-lb feeders. When I see all the posts on here about "wasted feed", I kind of struggle to understand.

 

[Al Gerhart]

All sorts of feeders available. I'd go to Amazon and read the negative reviews first and give them a lot of weight as those with chickens that behave (not raking feed) and no rodent or wild bird problem are going to have better results that someone with a problem to solve due to rats or feed raking. I wouldn't buy off Amazon though, the sellers have to give up a huge percentage of the sales price through fees, commission, and shipping to all their warehouses. You would be buying a commercial product that costs half of what it sells for wholesale. Literally they double the price in order to distribute and market retail products. But the reviews are good.

There are other review sites on chicken feeder. One called chicken feeder reviews seems to be honest, a bit tough but honest. Avoid the reviews that have Amazon links, the website might or might not follow the law on posting a disclaimer that they are getting commissions off the web traffic that results in sales.

Thirty birds, roughly 8 pounds of feed per day, so a thirty pound feeder is going to last almost four days. You really need two feeders to keep the morning rush in control and less squabbling. So two feeders should last 8 days. Or buy a sixty pound feeder and get that 8 days. Problem with one big feeder is the morning rush and they are not any cheaper. Shipping will be about the same on one big feeder or two medium feeders. Feeders also tend to handle more hens per feeder as with multiple one should not be in use at any given time other than when the birds come right off the roost. A thirty pound feeder can feed thirty chickens in a big commercial flock, even more, as long as there are a dozen or more. One of our customers feeds two thousand pastured birds with 24 feeders, 83 birds per feeder. But they have to fill nearly all the feeders each morning or at night. Google Fifth Crow Farm feeder grant for more info on that, the article should still be up on their website.

One thing is for sure on feeders. If you need one you are almost certainly already paying for it through wasted feed and feed theft from rodents and wild birds. If you are just getting started you can start off with one of the homemade bucket feeders for a fraction of the cost of the square buckets/pvc feeders off Amazon. Eventually though rodents will find the feed and your investment is wasted.

Starting off with a treadle feeder is expensive, usually you are going to spend around $100 to $120 per feeder depending on the shipping distance. But your investment is going to last a long time and pay for itself over and over. There will be some maintanance costs. Springs might last three months or I had a customer call in today needing to order springs (doors should always be spring loaded to keep the critters out) and I was surprised to find out her spring lasted five years. Some customers order springs frequently, most never order replacement springs. Go figure....

You will want a metal feeder, galvanized is best, aluminum can shed some oxide that isn't great for hens. Plastic will get chewed through unless the mice and rats can just saunter in and eat. You should keep that expensive feeder up out of the poo, patio blocks work best and be sure and have plenty of landing space for the hens to jump up on and approach the treadle. Narrow and distant treadles work best, as one commenter said the hens don't always like the narrow treadle steps but they are by far the most rat proof, actually the only rat proof feeder as the wide steps and light actions are easily defeated.

Good luck on finding what you need. Do lots of research and don't trust reviews online unless they show some negative reviews so you know the website isn't scrubbing the reviews. And again, pay close attention to the negative reviews, those are the folks that had a rodent or wild bird problem.

 

[NNYchick]

I tried so many different feeders and finally I made a trough feeder using PVC. I love it, they don’t kick things into it, beak anything out anymore and room for everyone with no worries of the lowest on the pecking order being kept from feed. I also weight my feed and feed them just enough to leave a little in the bottom when they go to roost at night. I have bantams so I started with 2oz per bird and adjusted from there by what I see in the feeder at night. With LF the recommendation is 4 oz per bird. Here some pictures we used 4” pipe and marked it at 12 and 3 and cut.

 

[Jenjens]

I tried so many different feeders and finally I made a trough feeder using PVC. I love it, they don’t kick things into it, beak anything out anymore and room for everyone with no worries of the lowest on the pecking order being kept from feed. I also weight my feed and feed them just enough to leave a little in the bottom when they go to roost at night. I have bantams so I started with 2oz per bird and adjusted from there by what I see in the feeder at night. With LF the recommendation is 4 oz per bird. Here some pictures we used 4” pipe and marked it at 12 and 3 and cut. View attachment 3380091View attachment 3380092View attachment 3380093

I know this is an old thread, but I am wondering how you store the feeder at night?