Wildlife feeder to feed the chickens

[caralouise1974]

Quote:
It's funny, but when people start off by saying something along those lines, it's because they know that what they are about to say IS about to be in some way insulting.

No, I didn't 'miss' that part.

What I wanted to point out was that tossing out feed on set 'mealtimes' to chickens is contrary to their natural feeding habits, whether that be 16 feeds a day (ie only about once an hour in summertime) or two. I cannot advise you how many 'feedings' so set the timer for, because there is NO CORRECT ANSWER.

They need their main food to be available at ALL times, period. This concurs with the earlier post from codybird too. Most other poultry keepers will also tell you exactly the same.

We only try to help around here you know, but I suspect you're so struck on this idea you're going to go ahead with it in any case. Best of luck with that.

 

[texas hiker]

Quote:
Thank you.

The game feeder is something that I want to try. Its not like the chickens are going to be stuck in a pen where the feeder is going to be their "only" source of food.

This idea came to me a couple of years ago. While sitting in a deer stand, early one winter morning during deer season, some wild turkeys came out of the timber line, went to the deer feeder and started eating the corn that was on the ground. So I thought to myself, if its good enough for wild turkeys, why not chickens? The turkeys ate what they wanted, then went on their way back into the tree line. I guess there was about 10, maybe 12 turkeys in the flock.

So why not do the same thing with the chickens? Let them roam as they want - remember this is not in the city - and supplement their diet with the feeder.

If system is good enough for wild turkeys, it should be good enough for chickens.

------ EDIT -------

I forgot to add something.

On those wildlife feeders, a lot of times incests will be attracted to the feed that is on the ground. This is especially true if its in the woods, or next to a tree line. Here in east Texas, we have army ants that will build their nest next to deer feeders, then start packing the food into their holes.

So instead of inside the pen, I just had the thought of putting the feeder outside the pen and next to a tree line. This would be more natural because the chickens would have to dig through the leaves and pine straw to get to the food.

 

[barnwife]

Texas hiker, I am with you. I am looking for a smaller deer feeder for this setup for each of my bird areas now!!

A lot of people put out feeders to keep full at all times b/c there is no real forage available...usually due to space being an issue, or the need of confinement to keep neighbors happy or from the chickens being more pet than productive, or similar.


Most of us here in Texas are a little more rugged on our outlook of life.

I run a schedule with my poultry...chickens, ducks, geese, quail, pheasants, and turkey.

They free range during the day, and are locked up at night to help keep coyote loss to a minimum. They get their grain ration of layer crumble mixed with oystershell, oats, and cracked corn twice daily. It is empty by the next feeding.

they are nto starving, nor are they nutritionally defficient. They eat forage when the ration is gone.

And yes, we feed numerous songbirds, squirrels, dogs, cats, and prolly a plethora of other things to shy to be seen at the feeding dishes.

My chickens still come when called, and lay a ton of eggs. This rationing system also works VERY VERY well for my meat chickens....I have not had a single heatrt attack loss yet, and they are the cornish rocks so notorious for dying of no apparent reason!

I think a deer feeder, depending on a few convenience factors, would work out very well where there is plenty of forage available.

Good Luck!

ETA

I don't think folks realize that there WOULD be food on the ground constantly with a feeder and a free-range system. The feeder dumps a certain amount at a certain time...and only very rarely would someone set it to give only enough for them to gobble it up in thirty seconds!

The entire idea with the feeder is to attract deer to a certain spot...sometimes in huinting situations even for certain times...but more realistially just to that certain spot.

Set the amount of seconds to release a ceertain amount of feed depending on what comes out of the chute per second... voila!! chicken feeder!

No different than checking on your birds twice daily to refill a standing dish...EXCEPT for the high point of being able to still feed them without worry in case of emergency of trip away!

 

[texas hiker]

I understand why some people would not like the idea - they may have never seen a wildlife feeder and may not understand how it works. People are resistant to change - that is just human nature, its been that way since the dawn of mankind.

Some of reasons why I do not want to use a conventional chicken feeder:

Convince - the wildlife feeder is automatic. It will feed everyday at X number of times that I set it to.

Waste - I can adjust the feeder so that little feed goes to waste. If its throwing too much, turn it down a little bit.

Attracting other wildlife - I can set it on the edge of a woodline and watch the deer, turkeys and other animals that go to it.

Saves time on mixing I can mix what I want once every 2 - 3 months and be done with it.

Feeds when I am away - I decide to go out of town, the feeder will throw the food when I am away from home.

How these feeders work, the food is funneled onto a platter. The motor spins the platter at a high rate of speed for X number of seconds. This throws the food in a 30 - 40 feet in diameter circle. So its not like the feed is dumped on the ground in one spot.

I have seen deer stand next to a feeder and eat corn for 30 - 45 minutes. And that is just one kernel at a time.

I fully understand why the suggestion is being met with resistance. Because people have been using a certain type of feeder for 100+ years, so why change now. But that is not the way "I" want to do things.

My step son has a few chickens right now. So I might set him up with a feeder so he can be my beta tester to see how things go.

 

[barnwife]

I like how you work, tex!

KLet us know how it goes! Then maybe I won't have to pay my neighbor to come feed my birds when I go to my family reunion....lol.


I have to tell you, automatic waterers work very very very well, too, and drip waterers.

My chickens will go to a leaky hose long before they use one of those big plastic or metal waterers!1

I don't blame them, ...fresh cold water or hot mucky water....

 

[kathyinmo]

I think it sounds like a GREAT idea! There WOULD be food available at all times, so what is the worry? I would love to give it a try! Good luck!

 

[Pop]

I feed my chickens twice a day-morning and evening. Water and oyster shell is always available. During the day they're free to roam around their 4000 sq. ft. pen but here in hot Texas they spend most of the time underneath a large shed.
The deer feeder is a good idea. Let us know how it works out for you.

 

[barnwife]

hmmmm...I am noticing a trend...city living folks think it is a foolhardy idea...country living types ALL want to know if you've found the next best thing to sliced bread....

I wonder who else will weigh in and see how this thread goes?


BTW, POP, welcome to BYC!

 

[codybird]

Several timed feedings a day plus free ranging should work then.

If I had 35 acres and a lot of chickens I would try it.

Barnwife's timed feedings and free ranging apparently do not affect egg production.(My main concern)

You could set the duration to equal the same amount of feed you were using before.(My second concern)

Might be the next best thing to sliced bread.

Let us know.

 

[barnwife]

Codybird-

Myrtle beach...not exactly an unpopulated area, but nice! I vacationed there once, very beautiful!

You are right about production. From my hens I get either three eggs out of four days or two eggs out of three days. I have several types of chickens, so I can tell who/what is not laying well and who is getting up in years, etc. With a smaller flock, abotu 100 birds, I don't have much to worry about...except feed in the winter lol.

I used to keep feed out at all times during the winter when the chickens would huddle for warmth. My chickens only rarely went outside, so it was what they nedded. But when spring hit in January, they got out and started eating bugs and grass and most of their feed went stale rather than being eaten!

Another reason I free range even though we have coyote and mountain cat problems is that the eggs taste better. I have also found that the hens get sick less often. I have less problems with mites and heat loss this way. Fewer nutritional issues to puzzle out, and a higher hatch rate on my eggs ever since I began free-ranging more than just a chicken tractor.