Questions and Answers
1. How do I know if my chickens will learn to use the UpToDate feeder?
Chickens are natively good at foraging in most dark holes for food. They scratch, dig and search for worms and beetles.
They start using the feeder within the first 30-60 minutes.
If is not the case, then place some feed on the external feed port just to draw attention to the feeder.
2. Product's price too high?
Sometimes we get on Amazon this kind of reviews, customers who consider more important the product price rather then reduction cost with the feed/time.
These products are handmade chicken feeders and always will be. Due to the design complexity it cannot be made in factories. When handmade work is implicated, a 300% increase time work and also risks should be covered. Working with plastic is full of risks, both for human but also for the products. It should be worked carefully, in patience, driving a lot of attention.
Below, a women just tried to do her handmade feeder.
3. Is a rat proof feeder?
The main attractant for rats and mice in the chicken coop is the wasted feed on the ground. "0 waste" chicken feeder is the first step you have to do. However, if your coop has a serious rodent's problem, then we suggest placing UpToDate feeder on a stand having the diameter less than the feeder. In this way, it does not exist a straight path for rats to rich on feeding ports. Shortly they will leave the coop, looking for feed relatively easy to access. We covered more in this topic HERE.
3. Can this feeder be done in DIY mode ?
Everything on the market can be made at home but will not have the
same features as the original. More than that, plastic is a hard-working material that sometimes cracks when drilling. At the end, after some broken bucket, the cost will not be lower. We tested several until we got to the best quality materials.
If you have experience with plastic and have decided to do it yourself, then keep in mind these:
- Do not use silicone as it is toxic to chickens;
- Have on the internal side, the correct distance between the feeding ports to allow for feed to go down easily and without blockage.
- The inner side of feeding port should be reduced to minimum, to prevent the chickens from entering the feeder and then found them suffocated.
5. If the feeder has 5 feeding ports mean it can only be used by 5 chickens/hens?
We covered this question HERE.
6. Wild bird proof chicken feeder?
We never said that. If a little chicken can eat from the feeder, any bird can. The only thing that can make a difference is the height level. By placing the feeder high, the doves cannot enrich the food, but a hen can. If you want to use it for doves or any other wild birds, just place it at the right level for them.
We will cover more in a specific Blog post.
7. Can an adult/big rooster use the chicken feeder?
As we noticed from Amazon Q/A section, our customers say that roosters push their head in the feeding ports. If it happens to not, we have other solution:
Use a different feeder, with a larger port, designed for large poultry. Installing on higher height, perfect for roosters, the hens will not have access to spill out the feed. This solution is perfect if you use feed for laying hens and you do not want the feed to be consumed by roosters. The feeder may be used for up to 5-6 roosters.
With some work on setup, you will succeed to get the best automatic, no-waste, no rats, no rain solution for your poultry. Congratulation !
