Hanging feeders?

[DMOTS]

This is one method I use. 4” pvc reduced to 2” then add a long sweep with a 22.5 elbow slightly turned right or left. They can get there heads in to eat. They still peck some out but not much.

 

[David Barkey]

It's kind of a cone bottom. Not a steep one but enough that it should fall. I really don't get it and up until reading this thread, I just assumed it was because I don't hang mine (I have it sitting on a few stacked bricks) but obviously people who hang the same one have the same problem. It's not a huge problem because I'm in there several times a day anyway so I just give it a shake when I notice but it definitely should fall down on its own.

Put a steeper cone in it and hang it . Hanging will allow the chickens to "shake it" for you as they peck away at the food . Since I started with chicken and ducks this year I made my own feeders and waters . I have worked and reworked them several times to get the bugs out and these are some things I have found . Crumb will lock up if given a flat surface to land on . The more weight you have the worse it is (the fuller it is ). Hanging helps with critters and allow for a rain hat to be installed above the feeder on the chain (an old garbage can lid works great for this) .

 

[Al Gerhart]

Try waxing the inside of the feeder with car wax. slather it on, let it dry, rub it all off. Wax won't hurt the chickens, some pelleted feed has wax added so it flows through the pellet roller press easier.

And for the one person that asked, yeah, rats and mice can jump an amazing distance and will have no problem jumping up into the feeder.

 

[SnootyHen]

Try waxing the inside of the feeder with car wax. slather it on, let it dry, rub it all off. Wax won't hurt the chickens, some pelleted feed has wax added so it flows through the pellet roller press easier.

And for the one person that asked, yeah, rats and mice can jump an amazing distance and will have no problem jumping up into the feeder.

I finally got around to hanging mine and it definitely falls down better but those little jerk mice/voles are still getting to it.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am looking for a bucket that will fit over my bigger (30#) feeders.

My 7# feeder fits inside a 5 gallon bucket. At night I am dropping it and putting an upside down bucket on it.

 

[docdubz]

I started mixing all flock pellets in with the crumbles. It's pretty much completely fixed the problem of feed getting stuck. Makes sense that the crumbles are too uniform in size and compact rather than flow.

 

[Al Gerhart]

I am looking for a bucket that will fit over my bigger (30#) feeders.

My 7# feeder fits inside a 5 gallon bucket. At night I am dropping it and putting an upside down bucket on it.

That will work the first night. After that the rodents will just start eating more during the day.

Do this, empty your feeder and weigh the feed. The next day at the same time of day re weigh the feed. If you are feeding more than 1/4 pound per day per hen (ignore the roosters) you are feeding rodents or wild birds. Now figure out the savings each day and see how long till you pay for a good feeder. Plus a healthier flock with fewer lice infestations from the vermin bringing it and disease into the coop.

 

[21hens-incharge]

That will work the first night. After that the rodents will just start eating more during the day.

Do this, empty your feeder and weigh the feed. The next day at the same time of day re weigh the feed. If you are feeding more than 1/4 pound per day per hen (ignore the roosters) you are feeding rodents or wild birds. Now figure out the savings each day and see how long till you pay for a good feeder. Plus a healthier flock with fewer lice infestations from the vermin bringing it and disease into the coop.

You come across as rather harsh there. Not 100% sure your reply was directed at me or not either. I never said I was not willing to buy quality feeders.

Any mouse willing to stick it's neck out during the day here is highly likely to get eaten by my tiny dinosaurs.
Between the chickens, my traps, and the neighborhood cats mice are kept in check.
Feeders being inside my coops accessible only through the roofed runs wild birds have not been an issue.

 

[Al Gerhart]

You come across as rather harsh there. Not 100% sure your reply was directed at me or not either. I never said I was not willing to buy quality feeders.

Any mouse willing to stick it's neck out during the day here is highly likely to get eaten by my tiny dinosaurs.
Between the chickens, my traps, and the neighborhood cats mice are kept in check.
Feeders being inside my coops accessible only through the roofed runs wild birds have not been an issue.

You took it as "harsh" because my opinion is different than your opinion. BTW not every answer is directed at you personally, it is likely directed at people that might read advice and think it is good advice and not think that rodents do eat during the day in a protected coop.
If we all worried about how others might interpret our advice few would give advice and the community would be worse off.

Head over to the Pest and Predator forum, just a matter of time before feeding like this attracts the rats and even the mice draw in predators like birds of prey, foxes, snakes, all manners of predators that like to eat chickens too. As for cats, mice are prey animals and very good at keeping their population intact even with heavy predator losses.

 

[21hens-incharge]

That will work the first night. After that the rodents will just start eating more during the day.

Do this, empty your feeder and weigh the feed. The next day at the same time of day re weigh the feed. If you are feeding more than 1/4 pound per day per hen (ignore the roosters) you are feeding rodents or wild birds. Now figure out the savings each day and see how long till you pay for a good feeder. Plus a healthier flock with fewer lice infestations from the vermin bringing it and disease into the coop.

What I thought came across as harsh is what I bolded above.

Since you quoted me I took it as directed to me.

I have had chicken since 1995 so am not an inexperienced keeper. I am good with my chicken housing, fencing, skirting, and feeding thanks.

I am also fine with others having different opinions than mine. There is more than one way to keep birds.