What makes these feeders so special?

[bigsalty]

Hey yall,

So I was looking at feeders to replace what I have and ran across these:

https://amzn.to/2GOEjRr for $140

https://amzn.to/2tIy4pR for $60

https://amzn.to/2tQZUjP for $54

https://amzn.to/2EBmgM4 for $9

These are different style feeders and I was wondering what makes them so special, especially the $140 chicken feeder! I figured the best place for pros and cons on chicken things is this site so your thoughts, feelings, and advice are all helpful!

 

[CCUK]

I have hanging feeders the same as the last one. The third one I'd use for grit more than feed. The first one is just an over engineered expensive feeder imo. I don't get any spillage from mine. If I spill a bit filling it the chickens soon clear it up! The messiest feeders I had were the ones that you put on the floor, the chickens spent all day scratching the feed out, so that's when I got the hanging ones.

 

[sylviethecochin]

1. Galvanised steel treadle feeder keeps the rats from accessing your feed, (the lid's like one of those fancy trash cans; the chickens step on the platform and the lid opens) and hopefully prevents a rodent population from moving in during the winter and never moving out. Not worth the money, unless you bought your chickens with the intention of only checking on them once a week.
2. That's ridiculous. It prevents the chickens from spilling feed on the floor, but I could make the same thing with PVC and a 5-gallon bucket for $10, tops.
3. Normal feeder. The bars may be supposed to stop the chickens from scratching the feed out. Again, something I would put together from scrap wood rather than pay $50.
4. Normal hanging feeder.

 

[Wezdin]

I use #3 and it works well for me, but i am fairly certain I didnt pay $50.00

 

[bigsalty]

Yeah, pretty certain the first three feeders were well overpriced. So hanging feeders is where its at, huh? I am a decent carpenter, anyone have any pictures of hanging feeding/watering setups? Homemade stuff is always interesting and generates tons of ideas for me.

 

[WindingRoad]

Hey yall,

So I was looking at feeders to replace what I have and ran across these:

https://amzn.to/2GOEjRr for $140

https://amzn.to/2tIy4pR for $60

https://amzn.to/2tQZUjP for $54

https://amzn.to/2EBmgM4 for $9

These are different style feeders and I was wondering what makes them so special, especially the $140 chicken feeder! I figured the best place for pros and cons on chicken things is this site so your thoughts, feelings, and advice are all helpful!

I have #3 and you could make this for less $$$ also.
Cons
1 My SLW roost on that pyramid top all the time. Useless.
2. When the feed gets low you have to pull it out and dig around and stamp the feeder on the ground to get the feed into those elbows.
3 Three feeding stations IMHO cause #2 issue.
4 feed gets moist if your birds don't eat it within a few days. 20lbs for 4 birds lasts a lone time.

I didn't like the treadle ones. My birds had a long learning curve with them and the top stayed up when they got off the treadle.
Also they roost on the top and you know what that means. They poop there too.

I'd try someplace other than Amazon if your looking tisane money or at least download Honey to make sure A has the cheapest price. Good Luck;
. Welcome to the brood.

 

[WindingRoad]

Yeah, pretty certain the first three feeders were well overpriced. So hanging feeders is where its at, huh? I am a decent carpenter, anyone have any pictures of hanging feeding/watering setups? Homemade stuff is always interesting and generates tons of ideas for me.

Get yourself a eye hook and screw it into a nice crossmember. They steal some clothes line rope from you wife and hang a feeder and waterer. Those cheapie red and white plastic ones are ok if you don't over tax the lid. There are several You Tube vids about making waterers with the nipples. Again get out your trusty drill and you're good to go. KWIM.

Actually I saw a YT vid the other day where a young fellow made a heated waterer from a 2 quart round cheapie ( $10) Coleman* cooler with a fish tank heater. Pretty neat I might try that this summer. For the nest winter of course.

 

[solidsnake]

Ha.... chickens don't care how fancy a feeder is. Got mine for $5 and most of the time they prefer it when I just chuck the feed on the ground. It's more fun for them to scratch at the ground and make a mess.

 

[Melky]

I have the last option. It worked fine if hung above butt height and below head height. It’s cheap and messy. You have to wash out every couple days and replace water. It can get stuck on the twisting action with weather changes, it does freeze in freezing temperatures so need something else in winter if outside in run. I am moving towards rain barrel to horizontal nipple line for fresh clean water that helps me not to have to clean every couple days. I will have to choose something else in winter than fountain as heated base allowed to freeze at 22 or below degrees F when should have prevented freezing in 20 below.

 

[Cryss]

1. Galvanised steel treadle feeder keeps the rats from accessing your feed, (the lid's like one of those fancy trash cans; the chickens step on the platform and the lid opens) and hopefully prevents a rodent population from moving in during the winter and never moving out. Not worth the money, unless you bought your chickens with the intention of only checking on them once a week.
2. That's ridiculous. It prevents the chickens from spilling feed on the floor, but I could make the same thing with PVC and a 5-gallon bucket for $10, tops.
3. Normal feeder. The bars may be supposed to stop the chickens from scratching the feed out. Again, something I would put together from scrap wood rather than pay $50.
4. Normal hanging feeder.

I use #4. I needed a second one and bought one similar but no handle, just do.ething that looked like the eye of a very large needle. Besides a bit of difficulty assembling one of my Girls decided to poke her head into the top opening. Her comb got caught on a bit of sharp plastic edge, a feature I had not noticed before. Those things bleed! Out it went, bought a second #4 model. I see no need for any of the others. I hang them from the hardware cloth covering a portion of the run using a caribiner through a dog leash handle. Strap leash can have knots tied to raise feeder to best height. Chain leash can be hooked higher with the carribiner. Leash hook is easy to maneuver on and off the feeder. Feeders are removed when chickens go to bed so no critters get fed. Save your money, use #4.