A treadle just refers to the mechanism or lever that’s operated by foot. Which is why people often then refer to treadle feeders as ‘step on’ feeders. How does a ‘step on’ treadle feeder work? Suitable for a variety of bird seed types, for example, sunflower seeds, millet, peanuts and other treats Galvanized sheet metal is the best material, impervious to a rat’s gnawing teeth. Rats must continuously gnaw to wear down their teeth or the teeth will curl up into their heads. The gnawing also keeps the teeth razor sharp.

You will find detailed instructions printed on the underside of the lid by the manufacturer to help you get your hens started using the feeder in a matter of weeks. You will need to adjust the settings to allow the hens to adapt to the new feeding method. The lid mechanism that attaches the lid to the feeding tank is difficult to secure correctly, and almost always leaves a gap. For each major rain that we’ve had, I’ve had to flush out the food and clean out the food container. This makes the excellent usage of a Grandpa Feeder an incredible introduction for any group of hens.Wood will need repainting after a couple moths in the sun [It can’t be treated as this could risk contamination of the feed] and it will likely start to rot in under a couple of years. They might be scared, but they will soon get used to it. You can decrease the noise made by this movement by filling the feeder during training. Week 3 I did have to show our docile Silkie how it works with a one-on-one tutorial. I placed her on the floor plate and she watched the lid open, then took her off and she watched it close. Ran through that again and she was fine. Which breeds does it work best for? Erm, well that was easy... I set the feeder up on Sunday morning and the girls are now using it happily on the 'normal' setting. This is ideal because it can hold food for at least 8 – 10 birds for 2 weeks without you needing to feed them daily.

You will also save money on feeds as wild birds, mice, rats, and other animals will not be able to access it. Weather changes will also not affect the cost of the feeders. The basic idea is that you fill the hopper to capacity and the birds will take what they need when they need it. This means you do not need to fill the feeder each day.This product comes almost fully assembled, just fasten the treadplate on and you’re ready to go. The whole product fits easily into your car for transport.

The two feeders on the left are guillotine type , so named because the door swings up and down. The two feeders on the right are swing in doors. Next, remove the prop opening the lid, so the feeder functions normally again and allow them to begin exploring it again. Placing some treats into the feeder will help enormously. As with many things the major complaint was that the product did not live up to the manufacturer’s claims. Generally with auto feeders, spillage will be significantly reduced but not completely. Grandpa feeders are available in two different sizes holding two different amounts of feed and works great with bantams.We believe in the quality and craftsmanship of our feeders and build them of strong, durable, high-quality galvanized steel with an aluminum treadle, with the expectation that they will work flawlessly for years to come.