Rat Proof Chicken Feeder

[meadrian]

I understand they're not waterproof. My coop is small, but sits up off the ground. Do you think this would do OK if it were outside, but kept dry? Thanks!

 

[Al Gerhart]

I would think that as long as they were under some sort of roof they would keep the food dry. There is about a quarter inch gap on both sides of the swinging door that would allow blowing rain inside. Do you have a picture of your coop, where you are thinking about locating a feeder?

I'll play around next week and see if I can come up with a modification that would allow the feeder to be wall mounted. If your ark had a solid back wall or side wall to attach the feeder off the ground it could move with the ark.

Getting some good feedback here. Thanks!

 

[meadrian]

Haven't posted photos in awhile. Hope this works. I don't have an ark. The coop is stationary. We extended the roof so rain wouldn't blow into the coop on rainy days. So far everything underneath stays dry. The walls are made of plywood but the coop is so small that the feeder would have to be very small. The pedestal is 22"H x 24"W x 24"L if that helps.

I'll check after posting to see if the photo worked.



Glad the feedback is helping. You've got a great product.

 

[meadrian]

Yep. Photo worked. The feeder can actually go under the pedestal. The photo shows it outside the pedestal, but the food's stayed dry last year.

 

[meadrian]

It would be interesting to see one that would work in an ark, too. What's the size of your ark, gophert?

 

[gale65]

Just looked at the listing but I was hoping for something that can be kept outside.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Meadrian,

Is it possible to put up siding on three sides of the pedestal? Even some thin plywood, sheet metal, even some sort of tarp to keep the blowing rain out would do the trick. The feeder is only 11" square but the treadle sticks out another 7 inches in front and another 1 inch on each side.

It might be possible to build a little box that set over and around the feeder itself. Or I could come up with a feeder for exterior use. Maybe change the door swing mechanism so I can extend the sides out at least a foot and add an extended roof to shed rain water. It would be larger and heavier to ship but shouldn't add that much to the delivered cost, maybe 20%?

Let me see what I can come up with next week for an outdoor style feeder. Thanks for all the feedback.

 

[meadrian]

We put tarps up in the rain so it wouldn't be a problem to put one around the base. Let me see what I can come up with.

 

[meadrian]

I have another question. Can the feeder be made smaller? Thanks.

 

[Al Gerhart]

I'll make a smaller size next week and figure out what it will cost. Not that much less as the labor is the same.