The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: suziequeue on June 10, 2011, 07:11:01 am
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We bought a rat-proof treadle feeder the other day as we are sick of feeding the local bird/mouse/rat population (end keeping them wormed!)
The chickens are quite cautious about it and they are getting very hungry.
We have put a brick on the treadle and covered the base plate with card and they are at least taking pellets that we put on the card now.
Anybody got any tips on how to train them to use the treadle?
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We bought a similar feeder at the RWAS show this year a few weeks back.
It's got three settings:
1. To get them used to the feeder the treadle sits on the ground with the lid open. So no movement in the treadle.
2. To get them used to the treadle, the intermediate setting has the lid half-open and the treadle has a small amount of movement.
3. Once they've got the hang of that it's closed, with it only opening when a hen stands on the treadle.
This is all explained here: http://www.grandpasfeeders.co.uk/how-it-works (http://www.grandpasfeeders.co.uk/how-it-works)
It's controlled using screws that stop the levers at certain points. I can't see from your photo exactly how your's works, but you could probably rig something similar up?
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Anybody got any tips on how to train them to use the treadle?
Having wrestled in vain with rats for several years (at a previous location where I had to leave ad-lib food out for the hens), I am tempted to say, "The rats will work it out and they can copy the rats"! But if you're not in north-east Exmoor perhaps your rats aren't quite so damnably intelligent as the ones I was failing to beat...
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I've seen various types of these rat proof feeders but we get big rats here (I put down endless supplies of poison pellets) and I think they would just be as heavy as a hen and could easily stand on it - am I missing something? my OH keep going on about getting one but I just can't see it as a deterant - anyone know otherwise? ???
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We have a Grandpa's Feeder, and are delighted with it. The reason the rats cant get to the the food is because they just aren't heavy enough to open it. Pest control people always reckon people say "we've got the biggest rats" but they aren't as heavy as a chicken.
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Think ours are related to the beaver.... ;)