[Prod]

I have only been keeping chickens (6)  for a couple of months and they freerange on the field next to my cottage.  I have noticed the last few eevenings the amount of sparrows and finches who take the food from the plastic food hopper & am convinced I am losing a lot.  I want to purchase a treadle feeder but there is such a range  of quality and price and some bad reviews but the Grandpa Feeder seems to get glowing reviews every where. Given that I have already spent the equivelent of a 3rd World Countries debt in setting my hens my partner is reluctant for me to spend another £112 on a feeder.  Does anyone have a) experience of Grandpas feeders or b)  recommend a cheaper good quality one  Thanks

[GrannieAnnie]

Don't know about treadles as never used one, but I know what you mean about the wild birds.  I had 3 silkies in their own run, and I was using about 3kgs of feed per day on them and it wasn't them that was eating it all!!!

What about making one?

EiyOy6WEP28

[kegs]

I've got this one and it's only £39.95.   

http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Galvanised_Treadle_Poultry_Feeder.html

[YoungChickenLover]

I have a Grandpa Feeder, and it is incredibly affective in stopping rodents and wild birds fom getting th chooks feed. We have a decking in our garden, and have had rats living under there in the past, so it was very useful to find something that keeps the rats out. It also stores a lot of food in it, so you don't have to fill it up every day.
Hope this helps
Weasel and The Chooks

[Gobsheen]

I've got this one and it's only £39.95.   

http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Galvanised_Treadle_Poultry_Feeder.html

Hi,
How do you rate this feeder?  Is it pretty robust?
Squirrels have found our feed.  Will the feeder keep them out too?!
Thanks.

[Prod]

I ended up buying a Grandpa's Feeder but only because he said he had one with a minor fault that I could have for half price. When it arrived I could find no fault so, being honest, I emailed him. He said that he had sent out 2 & must have got them mixed up  so mine was new & Ok and just to keep it!!  I have found it has reduced the wastage tremendously and the wild birds only get what is 'flicked' out or dropped.  It was funny to watch them learn to operate it. My ancona (Zsa Zsa)  is not frightened and learnt straight away  but when she took her foot off and it closed with a bang the others fled!!  Sometimes she just opened it till another stood on the treadle and then walked away as if she was just doing it for them.  Now they all know what to do.

[kegs]

I've got this one and it's only £39.95.   

http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Galvanised_Treadle_Poultry_Feeder.html

Hi,
How do you rate this feeder?  Is it pretty robust?
Squirrels have found our feed.  Will the feeder keep them out too?!
Thanks.

No problem with it at all.  It's sturdy and the feeds stays nice and dry - in fact I've recently ordered a second one.

Whether it will keep squirrels out is another matter.  Obviously they only open if the weight of a chicken is on the treadle so I suppose it depends on how clever and heavy the squirrels are.

[JJ282]

After months of looking and thinking I finally made the decision to buy a Grandpa Feeder and I can say its been the best thing I got for them. Like you I have spent a fortune on my chickens but this is the one thing that's been worth every penny. It works great and saves you a lot of money on feed, I use to have a big problem with wild birds eating my feed from the plastic feeders and had to fill them daily using around 8kg of feed a day for 36 chickens now with the new feeder ( i got the small one) I fill it every 3 days and I KNOW that im only feeding my hens and not a whole flock of wild birds. And they pick it up very quick my lot got the hang of it after a week.
So my advice is buy one its very much worth the money and its a good build and keeps the feed dry.