Grandpas vs RentACoop Treadle Feeder

[SeaCity]

Thank you! You too! The many adventures of chicken keeping

 

[Al Gerhart]

I ended up buying 1 of each the RentACoop and Grandpas! They are both assembled and in 'training' set-up. I'll probably train them on Grandpas because the 1 step of training mode has the step fully locked down and lid locked open. RentACoop has some movement which I think will make the 1st step of training more difficult.

Haven't put it out there yet only because in training mode it's locked open and I'm still dealing with rats. And I don't want to lug it in and out. They are both heavy!

I looked at Ratproof Feeder too but couldn't find as many reviews on it. And the treadle is just a step and further away from feed. Was concerned that it would be too difficult and far of a reach for my younger birds.

Hmm, had a blank reply somehow, had to edit it.

Something to consider, training with a lid that doesn't move teaches the chickens that the lid isn't supposed to move, not a good thing. Early on in the design I looked at the Grandpa type feeders and decided that needing to leave the feeder open for weeks for training was a bad, bad, idea. It teaches the rats where the feed is and makes it far more likely that rodents will continue to get to the feed. Better to go cold turkey, pardon the pun, and show the birds that the door in our case will swing back when the feeder is used. The chickens trust a door that swings back, one that goes up over their head, not so much without leaving that feeder in training mode for weeks. I wanted a ratproof feeder, not a chicken feeder.

And thank you for your mention of why you passed on our feeder. That feed back helps a lot. However, these aren't bugs, they are features of the feeder. : )

The treadle is narrow and distant by design. Which is why we market the feeder for full grown birds or warn that you need some full sized birds. That puts the vermin so far away that if they gang up the door will close when they rush forward to eat. Vermin generally won't cooperate and wait their turn to eat. It also allows the bird to grasp the narrow step so they could stand on one leg while holding the treadle down with the other leg. And prevents the common problem of the treadle being blocked closed by litter and debri. Again, we wanted a Ratproof feeder, not just a chicken feeder. We added the spring tension to the door around 2014, mainly for cosmetic purposes to hold the door tighter against the front of the feeder when we started marketing on Ebay. So the distant treadle allows one more method of deterring rats and wild birds, adding a reach requirement to the weight requirement for the door to swing back.

Reviews, we have hundreds on our shopping cart, more on Google maps, more here on BYC, and there are several dozen independent reviews out on the internet from bloggers, at least one chicken product review site (we do offer affiliate sales but only three companies have ever used it mainly because we have a low percentage payout, trying to avoid bloggers making big promises just to earn the commission. All three current affilates do little sales and link to our shopping cart from their own shopping cart. None are using reviews to push sales which is good in my opinion.). And few customers review products when they work as intended, most review when they have had problems. They reviews we do get are almost all 5 star which can be a problem for credibility purposes. For the most part, follow the instructions, especially if you reach out for help, and the feeder does its job.

 

[Al Gerhart]

I take my Ratproof Feeder in each night (due to bears, not rat... originally purchased because of chipmunks getting into the feed.) Yes it can be heavy and awkward. I don't fill mine full of feed. I only fill it about 1/3 full and that helps keep the weight down.

RojoMarz, did we have the french cleat to hang the feeder when your bought? If not, message me and I will send you one no charge. You can just pick the feeder up and it is still solidly connected to the wall or post while in use. That feature came about from a review done by Howard E. who mentioned it would be an improvement. It cut shipping weight which doesn't help on price because bulky shipments are dimensional weight but it cut down on the mass and the less mass the safer the shipment as it is traveling.

 

[RojoMarz]

RojoMarz, did we have the french cleat to hang the feeder when your bought? If not, message me and I will send you one no charge. You can just pick the feeder up and it is still solidly connected to the wall or post while in use. That feature came about from a review done by Howard E. who mentioned it would be an improvement. It cut shipping weight which doesn't help on price because bulky shipments are dimensional weight but it cut down on the mass and the less mass the safer the shipment as it is traveling.

Morning @Al Gerhart . Our feeder didn't come with a french cleat, but Hubby did add a wood one. Not sure if it was done off your or Howard's mentioning. He put a 2x4 on the back secured via the middle holes and then made the cleat from a 2x4. He also made a base for the feeder to sit on and attach to.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Nice platform and french cleat. Your husband is a handy man to have around. I like how he added that board to the front so they can step up easily.

 

[codewarrior65]

Last week I discovered rats coming out during the day and eating my chicken feed in the run while they are in there!

I've got an exterminator coming Thursday.

Now I need a treadle feeder for my 6 girls. I've been looking at the Grandpas feeder and the RentACoop feeder. Anyone look into these and can recommend one over the other?

I have two Grandpa's Feeders the #40 versions and I am very pleased with them. My issue was with sparrows eating the feed. I also elevate the feeders on platforms, it seems to help when it rains. I am feeding ~20 birds.

 

[Captain13]

Codewarrior65, I, like you really like the Grandpas feeder I have. It works great, it’s easy for the girls to use and I have no pest problems.

 

[PopoMyers]

Here's a link to the ones I purchased in January '23, which has worked wonderfully. I had a rat problem and scattered wasted feed with the open feeders. Rat problem solved,, as they cannot get i to it, and the grate inside prevents the majority of feed flicking. It comes with a training screw setting, and my chickens did just fine, and were comfortable with it after a few days. I bought mine for the higher price of 139, as of November 24, 2023, it's now 79.

https://www.amazon.com/SuperHandy-A...m_grid_rp_0_0_sa#immersive-view_1700942756248