treadle/(Grandpas) feeder help— not progressing

[Sammster]

Mine are very mixed in how much handling they will tolerate, but I've also done some bird rescue work so am pretty familiar with birds that don't want to be handled.

My brooder babies have always been much more hands on than my broody babies and have bern trying to train all of them to be scooped and put in a football hold. Most are pretty good with it and one is an absolute lap chicken at the moment.

This is the closest I could find online for the kind of hold I'm talking about:

View attachment 2909018

Thanks!

 

[Sammster]

Again, when they get hungry enough they'll. You should let them go hungry until they figure it out. A chicken isn't going to starve to death when it knows there is food.

Thank you. I'm sure you're right. I'll have to be a mean mom and let them figure it out

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Thank you. I'm sure you're right. I'll have to be a mean mom and let them figure it out

As long as the feeder stays partially open you don't need to do anything about this but you should install 2 shields at both sides of the treadle feeder, a chicken can be eating from the side while another one is on it, when it steps off if the chickens head is still in it the bird will suffocate or the neck will snap. It almost happened to one of mine, you just want to have 2 shields guarding both the sides, its worth having the shields up, trust me

 

[Sammster]

As long as the feeder stays partially open you don't need to do anything about this but you should install 2 shields at both sides of the treadle feeder, a chicken can be eating from the side while another one is on it, when it steps off if the chickens head is still in it the bird will suffocate or the neck will snap. It almost happened to one of mine, you just want to have 2 shields guarding both the sides, its worth having the shields up, trust me

Thank you, Bryce! How scary! The Grandpa's feeders come with the shields. Was yours a Grandpa's?

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Thank you, Bryce! How scary! The Grandpa's feeders come with the shields. Was yours a Grandpa's?

I think so

 

[Sammster]

I think soView attachment 2909611View attachment 2909612

Is this the feeder that caused your scare?

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Is this the feeder that caused your scare?

nothing bad ever happened, just notice the shields on the side, you just dont want a bird eating from the side when another bird steps off

 

[WindingRoad]

It has been weeks now
(Video attached)

I spent two weeks at training level 1 (1st peg, fully open, no lid movement).

After a week at training peg 2, they still won’t use it as intended.
They will eat down the feed from the sides (not requiring they step on pedal) until it’s so low they can’t reach more.

I’ve tried putting mealworms in the center.
They approach over and over trying to get to them by stepping on the petal and, retreat *every time* one of them makes it move and the lid opens *ever so slightly*.
I have gone back to peg one an additional week, no problems.
Moving to 2nd setting, fleeing as soon as the lid moves.

I have been trying an “in between” settings 1 and 2 (by building under where the peddle hits the ground, so it *barely* opens at all when they step on it, and buffering any/all sound when it moves)… as soon as it moves, even only the millimeters it’s currently allowed to, they flee.

(they do not have access to feed elsewhere, as instructed for training

Advice?

in between 1 and 2 training pegs).

Or just buy a feeder that they WILL use. No training necessary, Royal Rooster right out of the box very simple assembly required. Even this 70 year old lady did it. Put some duct tape over the "roof" of the feeder. Hold about 7 pounds of feed. Easy to take in at night. NO SPILLAGE. Mount it on a solid surface just high enough for the birds to stretch their necks a tad. I have 2. Love them. NO RUST anywhere. NO sharp metal. NO NOISE to scare them off. I have a hollow handled scoop so I fill the feeder with that. Just open the chute and let the feed flow in. Nice little cover over the chute to check feed level. Amazon is where I got mine. Good luck.

BTW you can get 2 of these for the price of one treadle feeder.

 

[KatiewithZena]

Hello, I'm just wondering how you got on with your silkies and the grandpa feeder? I have 3 silkies who are terrified everytime the lid opens... I went back to week one settings and they were OK, and now I'm on week 2 and no progress. I locked them in their run with the feeder as their only food source other than the grass that they're on, I'm hoping that they'll get hungry enough to face their fears!! At least the bloody sparrows are locked out of the coop and leaving their food alone, darn pesky birds!!!
Other than putting treats in the centre to boost their interest, what else should I try???
Many thanks!

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Hello, I'm just wondering how you got on with your silkies and the grandpa feeder? I have 3 silkies who are terrified everytime the lid opens... I went back to week one settings and they were OK, and now I'm on week 2 and no progress. I locked them in their run with the feeder as their only food source other than the grass that they're on, I'm hoping that they'll get hungry enough to face their fears!! At least the bloody sparrows are locked out of the coop and leaving their food alone, darn pesky birds!!!
Other than putting treats in the centre to boost their interest, what else should I try???
Many thanks!

You could try to put some treats on the feeder, getting them used to it is all about desensitizing. I would go inside and open and close the feeder by pressing the lid until you get bored and want to leave. That's what I did, now I can drop sheet metal onto sheet metal next to my chickens when they are sleeping and they dont even move, the reasons is because they are desensitized to loud sounds because of the loud treadle feeder.

Today they are perfectly fine with it and trained to it.

You can also put a heavy rock on the feeder for about 30 mins a day to let them eat only during that 30 mins, its a little cruel and they will be volatile while hungry but it keeps the sparrows away, it can help you with the sparrows and keeping it open while training them

msg me back for any updates!