Author Topic: Treadle feeders & crows  (Read 3492 times)

twizzel

  • Joined Apr 2012
Treadle feeders & crows
« on: June 11, 2021, 10:22:21 am »
Has anyone used treadle feeders for their chickens- would they allow crows access as well as the chicken? After realising I'm feeding the parish's crow population, I need to move them out of sight. I've got a pheasant feeder hopper but find although this stops rats and crows eating the feed, it also reduces the hens eating capacity and egg count drops too. It can also encourage bullying. So am wondering if a big treadle feeder would work. Or if anyone else has a good idea, please share. Needs to hold a 20kg bag of pellets, so the chicken are fed ad lib.

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Treadle feeders & crows
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2021, 01:58:14 pm »
I have used a small Grandpa feeder for a small flock.  The plate on that would not work with a crow's weight on it.  We followed the instructions for getting our hens used to it over a period, and that all worked brilliantly.

Crows being so very intelligent, whatever system you go for would need a bin closure they physically can't undo, not even using tools.  Or, get one they will work out and be able to undo, video them doing that, put that on YouTube and use the income stream to pay for the extra corn for them  :D
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Rupert the bear

  • Joined Jun 2015
Re: Treadle feeders & crows
« Reply #2 on: June 11, 2021, 07:39:50 pm »
I have used a small Grandpa feeder for a small flock.  The plate on that would not work with a crow's weight on it. We followed the instructions for getting our hens used to it over a period, and that all worked brilliantly.

Crows being so very intelligent, whatever system you go for would need a bin closure they physically can't undo, not even using tools.  Or, get one they will work out and be able to undo, video them doing that, put that on YouTube and use the income stream to pay for the extra corn for them  :D
Both highlighted statements are true , even more so when two crows stand on the treadle and are able to access the feed, as they like doing here.  :rant:

twizzel

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Treadle feeders & crows
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2021, 08:48:19 pm »
It might be worth a go… and have an afternoon of reducing the crow population too I think!  :rant: The chicken have been in the same place for 5 years with the same feeder, but the field they are in has come out of grass and into corn, which has attracted our pesky black friends  :rant:

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Treadle feeders & crows
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2021, 10:59:05 pm »
I have used a small Grandpa feeder for a small flock.  The plate on that would not work with a crow's weight on it. We followed the instructions for getting our hens used to it over a period, and that all worked brilliantly.

Crows being so very intelligent, whatever system you go for would need a bin closure they physically can't undo, not even using tools.  Or, get one they will work out and be able to undo, video them doing that, put that on YouTube and use the income stream to pay for the extra corn for them  :D
Both highlighted statements are true , even more so when two crows stand on the treadle and are able to access the feed, as they like doing here.  :rant:

 :roflanim:  :love: :crow:

I can't help but admire them for their brains and sauce.  Sorry!    :D
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Treadle feeders & crows
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2021, 10:20:02 pm »
I have used a small Grandpa feeder for a small flock.  The plate on that would not work with a crow's weight on it. We followed the instructions for getting our hens used to it over a period, and that all worked brilliantly.

Crows being so very intelligent, whatever system you go for would need a bin closure they physically can't undo, not even using tools.  Or, get one they will work out and be able to undo, video them doing that, put that on YouTube and use the income stream to pay for the extra corn for them  :D
Both highlighted statements are true , even more so when two crows stand on the treadle and are able to access the feed, as they like doing here.  :rant:


Two crows on the treadle... that's my thinking, so I have so far not invested in a treadle feeder. My chickens get whatever they clear up in the morning, and then some grain in the afternoon. Yes the crows do get some, but not serious amounts, and I do believe that crows have a place in the eco system as well.


I am amazed how observant they are - as soon as the veg peelings etc get emptied onto the compost heap a crow comes to inspect it... so they must be watching from the neighbours' trees all the time.


Not sure how it will all pan out once we get magpies moving onto the holding, I have recently spotted some half a mile away, never seen any before this far out of town.

twizzel

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Treadle feeders & crows
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2021, 03:16:47 pm »
I held off the treadle feeder and just put the chicken food in the pheasant feeder hopper for the minute. We found a dead crow on the farm and hung it up off a post near the chickens which is deterring the crows for the minute  :tired:

Richmond

  • Joined Sep 2020
  • Norfolk
Re: Treadle feeders & crows
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2021, 04:44:09 pm »
We hang dead crows and magpies (that my husband has shot) in the chicken area near the hen houses - deters them from stealing eggs directly from the houses.  Looks pretty grim and each time someone visits I have to explain why they're there. But it seems to work.

 

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