Grandpa's Feeder - Weights for Treadle

[margiedickinson]

Q re: training chickens to use Grandpa's Feeder. The instructions say that weights can be added to the treadle while in training mode to slow the action, which will help nervous chickens. Does anyone have any suggestions for what kind of weights to use and how to attach?

 

[Al Gerhart]

Get some magnetic tape off Amazon, its pretty weak but might work to stick some large washers on the step, say 1" hole diameter. Once you figure out the amount needed, you can silicone them to the bottom of the treadle. Also could just stack them on top the treadle but where you place them needs to be the same location when you secure them to the bottom of the treadle. Consider the leverage, the further from the front of the step (closest to the feed) the less leverage.

That said, adding weight reduces the already very poor rodent proof quality of the feeder. Rats, even tiny ground squirrels, can easily push the lid open and get into the feeder at the factory settings. Fewer wild birds are needed to overwhelm the feeder too.

The fact that the feeder lid moves over the chicken's head is the problem, none of us would feel safe eating under that scenario. Better to return the feeder while you can and buy one of the many inward swinging door feeders.

 

[margiedickinson]

Thanks for the input!