Spring feeders?

[Snadger]

I fancy trying to make a few of these large feeders with a spring on the bottom to save on waste and try NOT to feed any vermin, only the chooks.

I know they can be used for grain i.e pheasant feeders but wondered if they were any good for layers pellets?

I need to cut down on the amount of time spent feeding and watering my chooks each day.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Only things Ive seen Snadge are those on ebay. Arent they any good? Do you have a local farmer/animal place you could try?

[Two_Sheds]

I need to cut down on the amount of time spent feeding and watering my chooks each day.

I'm just brainstorming here, but I had the same thought about the wild bird food. Loads of it was being knocked to the ground by the naughty sparrows as they rummaged through the seed for the best bits.
Now I make the seed into a cake (with suet) and none gets wasted.

Can that idea be adapted for chooks?

[RichmondHens]

Snadger, we are just converting over to peck feeders. We have attached a metal holed feeder add-on (about the size of a baked bean can) to the bottom of a lidded plastic bucket which can either be hung from the roof or fitted with "legs". It has worked well for layers pellets but not for growers as the pellet is smaller and just falls through. We are in the process of sourcing some cheap plastic drums to convert for the rest of the pens. That way we can leave the feeders out all the time and will just invent some sort of cap to put over the holey bit to stop the pheasants getting at it before I let the hens out.

We went for the hole feeder rather than the spring one as I think possibly the spring one might let out too much feed at once. The answer is to get one of each and see which you (and the hens) get on best with. We are always experimenting here with different stuff in an attempt to make the daily routine as quick and easy as possible.

The other thing we have noticed with peck feeders is you need probably two to a pen as the the dominant birds hog the feeder and don't let the shyer ones near. Because the rate of feeding is slower they spend longer at it so the ones down the pecking order get left out a bit.

[Hilary B]

Wasn't there a design on here recently for feeder and drinker, made from assorted plastic buckets/bottles, that the birds put their heads in via head-sized holes to a 'hopper and tray' arrangement? Hang that at about 8-9 inches and most vermin can't get near it, nor is it quite as easy for the chooks to flick feed all over the place and waste it. I can't remember who posted it, or exactly when, but it looked a great design!

[Snadger]

Snadger, we are just converting over to peck feeders. We have attached a metal holed feeder add-on (about the size of a baked bean can) to the bottom of a lidded plastic bucket which can either be hung from the roof or fitted with "legs". It has worked well for layers pellets but not for growers as the pellet is smaller and just falls through. We are in the process of sourcing some cheap plastic drums to convert for the rest of the pens. That way we can leave the feeders out all the time and will just invent some sort of cap to put over the holey bit to stop the pheasants getting at it before I let the hens out.

We went for the hole feeder rather than the spring one as I think possibly the spring one might let out too much feed at once. The answer is to get one of each and see which you (and the hens) get on best with. We are always experimenting here with different stuff in an attempt to make the daily routine as quick and easy as possible.

The other thing we have noticed with peck feeders is you need probably two to a pen as the the dominant birds hog the feeder and don't let the shyer ones near. Because the rate of feeding is slower they spend longer at it so the ones down the pecking order get left out a bit.

I googled 'peck feeders' and the results just looked like spring feeders. Can you elaborate please? Any chance of a piccie?

[lynda66]

snadger did you get my memo? i have 2 springy ones that i never got round to using if you want me to send them to you so you can try them?? xx

they look like these ...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/20-PHEASANT-SP...item45ef8b6c37

[Snadger]

snadger did you get my memo? i have 2 springy ones that i never got round to using if you want me to send them to you so you can try them?? xx

they look like these ...

20 PHEASANT SPIRAL SPRING FEEDER / POULTRY FEEDER on eBay (end time 02-Dec-09 14:57:49 GMT)

Thanks Lynda...........I'll PM you. Was just waiting cos I have to go to the feed merchants tomorrow morning to do my usual bulk purchasing thing and was going to pick their brains when I was there!

[lynda66]

okies no probs x

[RichmondHens]

Snadger - We bought it from solwayfeeders.com It was about £4 or so. I'm crap at getting pics on here by myself but if you look it up it is a green metal thingy, about the size of a tin can, with holes in and a "lip" so you can drop it into a hole in the bottom of a bucket and it doesn't fall through. I've seen similar used for wild bird peanut feeders. We figured that with getting a few of those, plus a few cheap plastic barrels (cheapest we have found so far about £3), and my OH's handy woodwork skills we could run up a load of peck feeders.

I would suggest though, before you buy a load, buy one and see how your birds get on. They may not like it! We had one lot of fattening cocks who took fright at the sight of it and refused to feed (they are a bit stupid) and I wasn't patient (or cruel) enough to starve them into using it - they are destined for the table after all so I'm for getting as much grub as possible into them at all times! It has worked much better with the hens though.

[Snadger]

Snadger - We bought it from solwayfeeders.com It was about £4 or so. I'm crap at getting pics on here by myself but if you look it up it is a green metal thingy, about the size of a tin can, with holes in and a "lip" so you can drop it into a hole in the bottom of a bucket and it doesn't fall through. I've seen similar used for wild bird peanut feeders. We figured that with getting a few of those, plus a few cheap plastic barrels (cheapest we have found so far about £3), and my OH's handy woodwork skills we could run up a load of peck feeders.

I would suggest though, before you buy a load, buy one and see how your birds get on. They may not like it! We had one lot of fattening cocks who took fright at the sight of it and refused to feed (they are a bit stupid) and I wasn't patient (or cruel) enough to starve them into using it - they are destined for the table after all so I'm for getting as much grub as possible into them at all times! It has worked much better with the hens though.

Is this the kiddie? The 'Wright' Feeder Attachment - Solway Feeders

I may buy one to get the pattern but I'm sure I could fabricate something similar out of a bean tin with holes!

Then it TRULY would be a DIY job because the containers I would be using would be scrounged also!!

[RichmondHens]

Yes that's the one. The only problem with customising a bean can is you need something to make the lip, but I guess you would be able to do that! The other thing is the can may rust, but again you could paint it with something to stop that.

[Snadger]

Yes that's the one. The only problem with customising a bean can is you need something to make the lip, but I guess you would be able to do that! The other thing is the can may rust, but again you could paint it with something to stop that.

The lip would be a doddle, 8 cuts around the top with tinsnips, 1/2 inch down, and evenly spaced, fold back and you have a ready made mounting flange!

[lynda66]

don't you just love the word .... flange

[Bramble-Poultry]

snadger - before we moved out here to the sticks we used to use spring feeders all the time. If you google on ebay you can get ex-mayonaisse vats (25lt) and we used these, with a one inch hole bored in the bottom for the spring. The spring was activated each time the bird pecked it and it let out a bit of feed. Then they picked up off the floor whatever came out. We never really had an issue with a silly bugger pecking the spring constantly, although i wouldnt put it past some of these dopey dorkings i have at the moment!