Extra large feeders/drinkers - any downside?

[jersey bean]

Morning Grapes!

We have recently moved and 'inherited' 4 hens. We already have 3, plus 2 booked for whenever we want them. I am going to put them together, plenty of room in the coop for all.

I am a full time mum with one at school and a baby at home, a 'project' house to manage and I am trying to save myself a little time so I was looking at the treadle feeders and 30l drinkers. I can see the pros, but are there any cons?

Thank you

Jo

[vicky]

We use a huge treadle feeder for the school chickens, brilliant, no downside (although they need to learn how to use it).
With drinkers the greatest challenge is defrosting them. I don't use a drinker any more but one of those rubber buckets that won't crack - you can smash the ice with a welly or tip a kettle ful of boiling water in without cracking anything. I suppose the drinker could be quite heavy to lug around too, would it be near a tap?
What's your project house like? I've got one too....

[Hilary B]

Not sure about any specific type of feeder, but there is a SLIGHT risk if a feeder doesn't need topping up for ages that there will be food left in it for rather a long time, and if there is any condensation, mould might develop.
2 possible snags there
1) mould is bad for most creatures
2) slightly mouldy pellets may stick in the gravity-feeder and so it stops delivering.
The second is only likely if the keeper is not checking it thoroughly enough.
Since it is ESSENTIAL to check chooks at least once a day, the advantages are not so enormous (although it is probably quicker to give the feeder a shake daily and refill twice a week than to take fresh food to the chooks daily).

[bearded bloke]

Yep there is the weight thing to be taken into account for sure,IIRC water is 10 lbs to the gallon,30 litres is near on 6.6 gallons so with the container as well you are looking at about 70lbs
The other thought I had was,would they drink it all before it started to stagnate

[chris]

I have 3 chickens, and use a 6Kg feeder - it's large, but lasts me around a month. I check the food daily, and weekly I have a look inside to see if it's all ok.

It is less effort for me to fill up once a month odd

[jps]

we have 2 runs and 2 barrel feeders and only one 30 litre drinker so far.

the drinkers are good in that they hold a lot of water but ours seem to be either drinking a lot or spilling a lot cos it goes far too quickly.

also the rubber bungs you need to put in place for filling can break, as ours did this week but i got 5 off ebay for £6.99 delivered so not too bad.

in theory then the drinkers are great but as ours needs filling every other day they are a bit pointless in our case. think i need to watch what they are doing with it all!

[jersey bean]

Vicky -

Have a look and see! Le Soubord | Facebook


Thanks everyone, so, a bit to think about, ice not really a problem here. Our group of 4 seem to demolish 6 kg, it never lasts anywhere near a month, they're on grass as well. Hmmm. Will mull it all over with a cuppa!

[Suechooks]

Unless you're using a rat-proof feeder there's always the chance that M. Roland will help himself!

[RichmondHens]

Not sure about any specific type of feeder, but there is a SLIGHT risk if a feeder doesn't need topping up for ages that there will be food left in it for rather a long time, and if there is any condensation, mould might develop.
2 possible snags there
1) mould is bad for most creatures
2) slightly mouldy pellets may stick in the gravity-feeder and so it stops delivering.
The second is only likely if the keeper is not checking it thoroughly enough.
Since it is ESSENTIAL to check chooks at least once a day, the advantages are not so enormous (although it is probably quicker to give the feeder a shake daily and refill twice a week than to take fresh food to the chooks daily).

Agree on all counts.

[polo]

Well, dont want to add to the good comments but one thing I overlooked with my 10 litre waterer is how heavy and awkward it is to turn over without losing loads of water.

I much prefer the 7 litre size with a removable screw bung that stops you having to mess about. Its all food for thought but on good on you for asking because I would have bought different stuff had I asked first!

[jersey bean]

Well, the wait is over!

I have chosen a 10 litre tripod waterer and a 10kg treadle feeder, on the basis that they should do a good job but that I do not need to fill them right up! It may well be that we are feeding some uninvited guests so the treadle feeder will resolve that problem and when its very hot in the summer (fingers crossed) I can always fill the waterer right up. Maybe a few ice cubes too!

Thanks everyone, this is such a great site, you know you can always rely on the Grapes for some good opinions and advice

[RichmondHens]

At the risk of upsetting the apple cart if the drinker is only 10 litre capacity why did you not just opt for a black plastic feed bucket which holds 10 litres when full? This is what I use and they contain ample water for 10 hens for a day, several days in winter when they don't drink so much. In hot weather if I plan to be out all day I just put extra buckets in the runs.

[Glutton4...]

I have bulk feeders with a spring dispenser in the bottom, that the Chooks just peck to release the food. They hold a whole sack of pellets, so there is no storage issue. I used to use the galvanised hopper waterers, with the plastic bowl under. These were great for adding ACV to, in the plastic bowl. However, they aren't made like they used to be, and after two years have started to rust inside. I now use flexi-tubs and wallpaper paste troughs, instead. The downside with that is, I once had a Hen climb/fall in to an open bucket, and drown. Also, my two Geese like to turn any water into green slime, and will go, systematically, round all the containers, dabbling and washing themselves in them, until they are all dirty.

Nice pad, by the way - I'm very envious!

[Hilary B]

The 'dirty bucket' problem is one that would bother me.
If I was still keeping chooks I would be working on a 'constant fill' system based on a ball-valve, and keep the 'header-tank' outside the run (and covered). Having seen how well these work for other creatures, I'd prefer to use that approach, direct off the mains if mains were available, ir from a small header tank if not.

[RedThorn]

The whole Ball float mechanism from a toilet cistern would work a treat for your idea Hilary