[AliandSusi]

Thanks to MrRees, Garden Cottage and Pigsatlesrues for excellent advice! New fret! We have purchased two plastic feeders (one for water and one for pellets) in readiness for the girls arrival next week. However have just been told that these are only suitable for chicks! Are there any recommended alternatives? Have looked at galvanised thingies but they are SO expensive - £35 just for a  feeder! Have checked Ebay - nothing doing. Anyone got any cheaper ideas or do we just bite the bullet and pay up? 

[shetlandpaul]

they are fine for adult birds. just watch that you dont drop them to often.

[garden cottage]

plastic feeders will be ok only problem is with hard frost they tend to crack fall apart. anything galvanised will last forever, we use plastic hoppers for feed. you may get galvanised water drinkers second hand,,they will always outlast plastic

[Rosemary]

We've got plastic ones for chicks, although we have used them for big hens if we've been stuck. If you're in it for the long haul, invest in galvanised, second hand if you can get them BUT check they hold water. We have one that empties itself and is no use at all.

[Birdie Wife]

I bit the bullet and got a galvanised rat-proof treadle feeder (Wells Poultry) - it was pricey but it's so robust, it looks like it will last a lifetime.  It's very weather resistant and holds half a sack of pellets.  The chooks can go and help themselves all day and there's no waste.  I'm going to get another one that holds a full sack of pellets because my flock keeps growing 

[doganjo]

Can anyone tell me if chickens and ducks are profitable?  I just like having mine here, but at the moment 1 egg every other day from 6 ex batts and none from 4 (possible 3) light sussex, nor from 3 ducks just isn't keeping them in food.  I haven't ever worked out if they pay for themselves once they go back in lay.

[Rosemary]

We don't make a profit on ours - this is the first year I've kept a note of all costs and income, apart from our own eggs and we're not breaking even. If I wanted to, I'd start by getting rid of the old hens...