[kipper]

I'm thinking of buying a treadle feeder to try and stop the rats eating it but wondered if I will have problems with crows eating the feed ? Also how do you train the chickens to stand on it or will they do it themself ?   Thanks

[Rosemary]

We have Granpa treadle feeders and woudl recommend them. Crows etc aren't heavy enough to activate the step. To train the hens, you leave it open for a week, then on a half setting for a week, so the lid is half closed and the treadle moves a wee bit, then from the end of the second week, it should be fully operational.
For information, it takes  sheep about an hour to work it out and a pig about 10 minutes 

[GribinIsaf]

We have Granpa treadle feeders and would recommend them.

Second that.  Work really well.  We are fully on them now, including for ducks, to stop unwanted things eating the food - particularly starlings.

[kipper]

That sounds brilliant thanks for your help

[Womble]

including for ducks

Ah, now you're talking!

I haven't taken the plunge with one of these since I thought that the sparrows etc would just move over to the duck's feeder instead.

So you find that the ducks are ok with it, and don't wibble about in it too much, and make a mess of the pellets, @GribinIsaf ?

[GribinIsaf]

including for ducks

So you find that the ducks are ok with it, and don't wibble about in it too much, and make a mess of the pellets, @GribinIsaf ?

This is what  I did.  It make have been overkill, but it worked and the ducks use the system very enthusiastically:

- I enlarged the step-on platform with a piece of stokbord fastened on with techbolts so that the step was deeper so the ducks HAD to step on to it to open the feeder.
- this meant I had to counterweight the top of the lid which opens the feeder - again I used stokbord to make two layers fastened onto the lid.
- I made a set-up so that there was a large paving stone flush with the treadle platform so the ducks did not have to step up but rather walked towards the feed area, across the paving stone and on to the (extended) treadle step.

This is more spillage than with hens.  For the Grandpa feeder you remove the grill that is over the food as duck scoop rather than peck.  Most of the spillage ends up on the stokbord platform and tends to be hoovered up by the next duck that comes along.

[Rupert the bear]

We have Granpa treadle feeders and woudl recommend them. Crows etc aren't heavy enough to activate the step.

This is a true statement, and so are these.
2 crows
3 magpies,
to my utmost frustration

[Womble]

Thank you Gribinlsaf, that's very helpful.

We have Granpa treadle feeders and woudl recommend them. Crows etc aren't heavy enough to activate the step.

And  presumably also small pullets? We invariably have at least a few of those kicking about here!

[Possum]

We have pullets and bantams and none of them have any problems with our treadle feeder. Maybe it is something to do with their centre of gravity?

[DalesFarmer]

We have two Grandpa’s Treadle Feeders and they’ve been absolutely splendid in every way.

[DalesFarmer]

I should have said in my earlier post about the treadle feeders that as well as Croad Langshan hens which are large, we also have two Lavender Araucanas which are smaller but now they’re about 22 weeks they have enough weight on them to open it themselves. Sally is the lady with the only UK franchise for Grandpa’s feeders - she was so helpful and a pleasure to deal with when ordering them both.

[Eve]

How about squirrels and rats - would these feeders be any good to keep them out? We remove our feeders at night against rats and our runs are squirrel proof, but our neighbours have a different set up and lose lots of food to both 

[DalesFarmer]

We’ve never lost any food from our Grandpa’s feeders. They’re very strong, also waterproof so no soggy feed either. I don’t believe squirrels or rats have enough weight on them anyway. Talk to Sally, she’s really knowledgeable about them.

[SallyintNorth]

How about squirrels and rats - would these feeders be any good to keep them out? We remove our feeders at night against rats and our runs are squirrel proof, but our neighbours have a different set up and lose lots of food to both 

We bought our Grandpa feeder specifically to stop the rats getting fed.

We have ducks too, so there is still quite a bit of spillage, so there is still some for the rats, but they don't get to eat what's inside the feeder, no, so the rat population that can be supported by the chicken / duck food they can steal is significantly smaller than it was.

[GribinIsaf]

We bought our Grandpa feeder specifically to stop the rats getting fed.

We have ducks too, so there is still quite a bit of spillage, so there is still some for the rats, but they don't get to eat what's inside the feeder, no, so the rat population that can be supported by the chicken / duck food they can steal is significantly smaller than it was.

Would second all that - all true for us too