Treadle Feeder advice, please!

[sjmjrgkmg]

Hi folks,
After 10+ years of chicken keeping, we're finally going to break down and invest in a treadle or pressure plate feeding system - our hens are wasting so much food from the hanging feeder we're currently using! Does anyone have a brand they absolutely love and feel is worth the investment? We have seven hens, and it HAS to be rat proof (we have had problems with the pests), and weather proof (it rains a lot in upstate NY). Any advice as to brand and/or supplier would be gratefully received! Thanks!

 

[casportpony]

Sorry no one replied. Did you find a feeder?

 

[Al Gerhart]

Google something like chicken feeder review and you will find a guy that did a bunch of reviews on the various feeders out there.

But to be rat proof you need a few things. Spring loaded door to pre load the door to prevent a rat from pushing the door open. A heavy counterweight to add enough mass for the same purpose, but it needs the spring too. A narrow and distant treadle step, not a wide step that can be overwhelmed. No plastic obviously.

Do your research and take notice of the negative reviews more so than the positive reviews. If there are no rats nearly all of the treadle feeders will help with feed waste. The negative reviews is also where you will find the water leakage problems or the rats just pushing the door open.