Lindy Loo Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Does anyone have a " Grandpa's Feeder" and if so how do you like it? I am very tempted by the thought that it will hold an entire bag of pellets and will stop the girls making such a mess with the pellets and hopefully cut down waste and rodent interest. The only reservation I have before doling out my hard earned pennies is how easy is it to clean. My girls seem to hop up and poo on anything and I wonder if it will be just another thing to scrub. Not a problem of it is easy to clean but more so if the nooks and crannies prove impossible to reach. Any ideas and feedback welcome. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 There are a couple of threads if you use the search facility (also try rat proof feeders ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melbourne12 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 We recently bought one, and it's a great success. The treadle is made of checkerplate, and wipes clean easily. We haven't had them poo on any other part of the feeder, but I suppose they might perch on the roof of the hopper. If so, that too would be easy to clean. Blog entry about it here: http://johnnorman.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/grandpas-feeder/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I have several of these for our allotment chickens. I know they are expensive. compared to the upright treadle feeders, but they are much better made - definitely worth the money. Here's an example of both the large and the small ones. http://witchhazelhens.blogspot.com/2011/05/6-weeks.html There was a discussion a little while ago, if I can find the post I will link it Edited to add: here it is http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=82735 And here is a more detailed topichttp://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=78156 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I've read all the posts in this thread and others and think I'm going to need to get one of these (now I'm convinced we have a rat or two) Just wondered whether the OP Lindy went ahead and bought one? Or whether anyone else had any new comments? (this henkeeping malarkey is proving a very expensive hobby!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poshchicks Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I have the smaller one of these and I can't recommend it enough. It did take a while for my chooks to get used to it. Initially they were freaked out by it, but with time they got the hang of it and now there is no turning back. Saves bringing the grub in every night and keep food dry and vermin free!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I'm really, really tempted to get one of these feeders. I've looked at them a few times but have always been put off by the price. However, we do have rats that visit (and carefully avoid the poison bait stations ), and the hens chuck the food everywhere and make a dreadful mess. I always bring the feeders in at night, which is no great hardship, but when we go away the neighbours leave the feeders out which no doubt encourages Mr Rat to come back. This feeder would be a great solution to all of those problems! (I think I'd better order it first and tell hubby how much it cost afterwards though! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 thanks for the feedback If I'm going to get one it needs to be now while I have some time to do the training with them I guess It's just so expensive! (and i keep remembering that my gran kept chickens healthily and happily for soooo many years with none of these 'mod cons'!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nannyhenny Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I don't use one but my neighbour does. It was an absolute pain at first because it clangs loudly (sounds like someone banging a bucket!) and the hens were too frightened to come near! She had to prop it partly open for ages and then gradually get them used to using the treadle; it took weeks! However, they do now use it happily and she's very pleased. Just be prepared for it to be a slow job - and for neighbours to ask what the noise is! I just keep my feed in a trough inside the Omlet run which is shut at night so only little beasties can get at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figgins Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Down on the allotment there is a community orchard, with chickens. They tried the grandpa's feeders and didn't like them. The chickens stood on them then threw the pellets onto the floor. I don't know if anyone's had the same problem... Maybe they just have particuarly mad chickens. Hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Well I have just taken the plunge and ordered a Grandpa's Feeder... The website states that there is a 100% satisfaction guarantee so I guess if we don't get on with it I can always return it. I'm already wondering if there is some way of affixing a rubber strip to the lid to deaden the clanging sound? My hens are total wusses and I can't see them being too keen on the noise of the scary head-chopping monster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Well I have just taken the plunge and ordered a Grandpa's Feeder... The website states that there is a 100% satisfaction guarantee so I guess if we don't get on with it I can always return it. I'm already wondering if there is some way of affixing a rubber strip to the lid to deaden the clanging sound? My hens are total wusses and I can't see them being too keen on the noise of the scary head-chopping monster The feeder comes with a screw so it is completely open to start with - no banging at all. Then you adjust the screw so that the lid is partially open but they have to stand on the treadle to open it properly. This isn't noisy, but it can take a while for the Girls to get used to it. Only when they are using it happily (don't rush it) do you remove the screw and let it close fully. We found that once one of the Girls got the hang of it, the others cottoned on very quickly. Apart from our "Ooops, word censored!"iest hen. They all run away when she comes to the feeder, so she could never see how the others were opening it (serves her right for being so horrible really). Even she got the hang of it in the end. It does bang sometimes, but it hasn't proved a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Brilliant, thanks for the info witchhazel. I've just had an e-mail to say that it should be delivered by the weekend. I am weirdly excited about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 do let us know how you get on! Good job I didn't already order one as I just got landed with a huge care repair bill today new chicken feeder will have to wait at least until pay day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Well the GF has arrived today (delivered sometime between 5-6pm this evening while I was out walking the dog Never heard of a courier working on a Saturday evening before!). I am really impressed with the design and how it looks - it seems very robust, definitely vermin proof and very easy and safe for the hens to use. To answer earlier questions about chickens putting their head in the side, this is impossible with a Grandpa's Feeder as there are plates at the sides which stop the hens accessing the feeding trough side-on. The only way to access the food is front-on to the feeder which means the hens have to stand on the footplate, so 100% safe as far as I can see. Going to get hubby to screw it all together tomorrow, then I'm going to ask him to board over a pallet so that it has a level platform to stand on - then we'll be all ready to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OllieNLucys Mum Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 I bought one of these with high hopes However despite following the instructions my chickens only ever used it on stage one ie with the lid propped open. As soon as I attempted to have even a slight movement introduced it was as if the end of the world had come. I took them back to stage one again and when introducing movement put the foam supplied and more to stop any noise but to no avail. All of them including the cockerel are terrified of it and when I persisted and didn't put any other food down they virtually starved themselves Since having it rats have eaten their way into the stable where I keep the chooks and now know the food is there, and the hens poop all over it. So all in all epic fail lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 Oh that doesn't sound good The girls seemed quite happy using it today, although of course it was propped fully open, they even made the excited noise when they looked inside and found food in there They are so easy to please. Fingers crossed they don't get too scared by the noise next week when I adjust the settings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Erm, well that was easy... I set the feeder up on Sunday morning and the girls are now using it happily on the 'normal' setting. I didn't plan to introduce it quite so quickly, but when I let the hens out on Monday morning before I had the chance to prop the feeder open, Fair Isle leapt straight onto the treadle and opened the feeder! Working on the basis that she must have figured out how it worked, I decided to set the feeder to the half open setting and see what happened. The hens were pretty wary of it on Monday (especially big bum Bella who is a wuss) but hunger got the better of them and they were hopping on and off the treadle (cautiously) quite quicky. Today they didn't seem at all bothered by the movement and noise, so I decided it would be worth seeing what happened if took it off the training setting... and the result is 5 chooks happily using the feeder I'm really pleased actually, as I am going away on Sunday for a couple of nights and now I don't have to ask my neighbour to set the feeder every morning when she opens up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 That is amazing! Well done your Girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 wow - that's impressive thanks for posting your experience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Just another quick update as the hens have been using the GF for a couple of weeks now. I'm still very impressed with this feeder, the food stays nice and dry even during the heavy downpours we have been having recently, the hens can't fling food all over the place so much less is being wasted (I can't believe how slowly the food seems to be going down!) and all the hens are still happily using it - not a hint of being scared at all, they are all confidently hopping on and off the feeder. A big thumbs up here for the Grandpa's Feeder! I think it will take an awfully long time to pay for itself, even given how much food is no longer being wasted, due to the high outlay for the feeder but it's so brilliant I really don't mind The only very small downside is that the hens all seem to like to poo whilst standing on the treadle so the ground just in front of the feeder is really pooey It just means turning the ground over and/or moving the feeder now and again - no great hardship really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahGlymond Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 Does it fit in a cube run ok ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Yes, it fits in the Cube run easily. Here's a photo of one in a cube run along with our chicks (they are 6 weeks old) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahGlymond Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Thankyou soooooo much and they are soooo cute cant wait to get mine !!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nannyhenny Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Update about my neighbour's GF is that it has started to stick open - probably because of dirt and/or feed and/or corrosion affecting the hinges so beware of that after a while (she's had it about 12 - 18 months) Make sure you keep it clean around the moving parts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
