Treadle feeders are a great way to not only protect chicken feed from pests, like rodents and raccoons, but they’re also a great way to automate your chicken feeding chores.
In this post, we’re going to take a close look at 3 of the best treadle chicken feeders you can get a hold of for the money.
The Best Treadle Chicken Feeders
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Grandpa's Feeders Automatic Feeder | PrimeEligible | View on Amazon | |
 | RentACoop Metallic Treadle Feeder | PrimeEligible | View on Amazon | |
 | Happy Henhouse Chicken Treadle Feeder | PrimeEligible | View on Amazon |
1. Grandpa’s Feeders Automatic Chicken Feeder
With its roots and origins coming from New-Zealand, where chicken is a beloved delicacy, Grandpa’s Feeders Automatic Chicken Feeder is a most popular chicken feeding solution. New Zealand chicken farmers take the finest care to breed the healthiest chickens.
Designed on the personal innovations of farmer Bill Kirkham to solve the rodent and wastage problems that he had, the Grandpa’s Feeder offers the best advancements. It is made of tough and reliable materials.
The whole feeder is made with a galvanized steel finish that offers the best protection from conditions and the elements. It is designed to be a long-lasting solution that will not frustrate you, or have you spending money on replacements.
It is as convenient a chicken feeder as you can find, but it should be noted that it is not suitable for baby chickens. The feed is free on-demand and always within reach as long as you keep the tray filled.
The tray can hold up to 20 pounds of feed, making it most ideal for feeding backyard coops. The size standard maybe a little too small for chicken ranches and bigger pens. The product’s ability to prevent spillage, due to both a convenient peddle press lid and guard mesh, is guaranteed to save you money.
The Grandpa’s Feeders automatic chicken feeder uses gravity, but the design has been innovated to improve functionality and prevent blockage. The peddle is designed with features to make it easier to train and familiarize your brood with the new feeder.
It is a trusted product that has been around for more than two decades. Everywhere you look, you will find that people prefer Grandpa’s Feeders. This is why it comes as our most recommended solution.
Pros
- A safe design offering the best in security
- Convenient features that allow easy familiarization in the pen
- Large feeding tray suitable for up to 12 chickens
- Money-saving innovation
Cons
- Perhaps not a suitable solution for bigger pens
- Not suitable for baby chickens and hatchlings
2. Rent a Coop Metallic Treadle Feeder
Rent a Coop is an American business initiative that specializes in rent coops and chickens for educational purposes. Through their continued research and improvements in chicken breeding societies, Rent a Coop began to make and design their own feeders and water troughs. These feeders have gained widespread popularity due to the innovative improvements Rent a Coop has added to their designs.
The security offered by Rent a Coop’s feeders is top class. Not only will it prevent rats, but they are designed to keep out bigger animals like raccoons. The provided grill will also prevent spillage and chickens from raking feed out.
The metallic design and make will also protect your feed from elements that might spoil it like rain and sunlight. The lid and pressure peddle will keep rodents out and has an adjusting feature to allow small and big chickens to feed leisurely. This is simply done by adjusting the weight of the lid.
By adding this feature, it keeps out bigger rodents and will ensure value for money. It can hold up to 25 pounds of feed and is ideal as a backyard feeder. The Rent a Coop Metallic Treadle Feeder is also one of the more affordable designs on the market. Their competitive prices will make it ideal, even if you have to stock up to provide for a large pen.
However, the sacrifices made in cutting costs to meet the consumer’s budget is clearly pointed out by a few complaints. The material was found to be less durable than that of Rent a Coop’s closest competition. Despite this cutback, it is an ideal option if you would rather settle for a budget-friendly option.
If you have a bigger coop and require larger or additional feeders, it would also be an ideal option. Its affordability and all the research and innovation that went into its design make Rent a Coop among the best solutions out there.
Pros
- More affordable than most other feeding solutions
- High-end security designed to keep out rats and bigger rodents
- Excellent spillage and waste reduction
- Convenient and easy to use
- Big feeding tray to support up to 25 pounds of feed
Cons
- Made of material that is not as tough as competing models
3. Happy Hen House Treadle Chicken Feeder
Our third selection comes in the form of the Happy Hen House’s Treadle Chicken Feeder. It is an all-aluminum chicken feeder with rodent-proof technology, which makes it an ideal feeding solution, and is included as an alternative in case you do not find the other options adequate. However, if what you want is exactly just that — a happy hen house — then we would recommend their products.
Happy Hen House’s Chicken Treadle Feeder is completely made from rustproof aluminum. It is also weather and element proof, offering the best in UV retention and rain coverage. Its security is top-notch and provides all there is possible to do in preventing waste. The model is proofed against rodents by using the same peddle activated lid design.
The smooth aluminum used in the design of the feeder cleans easier than other types, making it the healthiest investment that you can buy. This added convenience, in combination with the standard features, really make this the best option on the list. The Happy Hen House Treadle Feeder may not use a guard mesh to improve against spillage and wastage created by chickens, but the design is made to reduce this by 75% naturally.
Its design makes it unnecessary to add a mesh, and the feed typically just stays secure within the tray. The tray can hold 20 pounds of feed to support up to twelve chickens on one feeder. It is easy to use and comes with a comprehensive training guide.
It is the most suitable option for backyard chicken breeding and will save you money with its innovation. This model does not use gravity-based feeding but instead uses a trough design that only the best include.
The best thing about it is that it comes at a better price than a number of its competitors. One thing should, however, be noted. The aluminum used in its making may make it water- and rustproof, but it will tend to be weaker. The most durable metal to use would be galvanized steel, but at least the Happy Hen House feeder can compete. Despite the weaker material, it is still bound to be a lasting solution.
Pros
- Aluminum design and make that is rust and weatherproof
- Convenient design that is easy to use and clean on a regular basis
- Offers high-end standards in security and will reduce spillage by 75%
- Large 20-pound tray for supporting a full pen of twelve chickens
Cons
- Uses weaker material for the construction that may not last in harsh conditions
Buyers Guide: What to look for in Treadle Chicken Feeders
Buyers Guide: What to look for in Treadle Chicken Feeders
When searching for the best solution to feeding chickens, whether on a chicken ranch or in your backyard, the same ideas in principle will apply.
Cost Savings
You should be looking for a feeding solution that saves money, effort and prevents waste. In addition to the security offered by the solution, you would have to consider health risks.
Protect the Feed
A feeding solution that does not protect your chicken feed from outside elements will reduce the quality. These elements include rain, which can cause mold and the like, that will poison your chickens. It should also include protection from UV light that reduces the nutrients and moisture content of your chicken feed.
Ultimately, unprotected feed will harm the growth of your chickens. A solution that will save you from waste would prevent both spillage and rodents from spoiling the food. Spillage is never a good idea.
Prevent Waste
Wasted chicken feed, and feed pecked from the ground could be poisonous. It is impossible to keep a chicken from eating off the ground, but prevention in spillage would minimize this problem. Rats and foreign birds are more problems you want to keep out.
It is not the easiest thing to protect against rats and other rodents; they are, after all, witty creatures driven by their needs. A feeding solution should provide you with ease in concern to waste associated with rodents.
No Poisons
Using poisons to kill rodents around the barn or chicken coop is not an option, so the best alternative would be a solution with some kind of safety design. A better solution would also reduce the need for constant efforts to feed your flock. It should allow you to spend your time better and allow for controlled automated feeding.
Treadle Feeders are The Solution For Feeding Your Chickens
Old gravity feed designs did not do the trick. They hardly reduced any of the problems other than making it easier to feed the pen. With modern advancements from today’s manufacturers, a new idea created a better feeder on the first attempts to solve the problem. These are treadle feeders.
You should also keep in mind what your aims and unique situation are. Your budget plays a significant role, as well. You should stick to what you can afford; however, you do, after all, want the best results. You don’t want to end up regretting not spending a little bit more for a better product.
What are Treadle Feeders, and How do They Work?
Treadle feeders are the latest solution that manufacturers have presented to chicken owners. It is, in basic definition, nothing more than a simple device. Unlike its predecessor, the gravity feed, the Treadle Feeder does not use of piling feed.
Treadle feeders are designed on the idea of a feeding trough used for horses. You fill this trough with chicken feed and it provides security through the use of a step-operated lid and often mesh to prevent raking and spillage. The design is rather basic; the chicken has to step on the lever to open the lid and feed.
Chickens will quickly learn that the lid opens upon approach. This will protect the feed from rodents and elements alike. A treadle feeder is simple to use and provides an acceptable solution for all the associated problems of feeding in a chicken coop. It reduces spillage, effort, and waste. It is also as convenient a solution as the gravity-fed feeder used to be.
Most designs though, come with smaller sized troughs, and larger sized chicken ranches may want to purchase enough to feed more significant sized flocks. However, treadle feeders are ideal for the backyard pen or smaller coops. The best thing about this solution is that it will save you money in the long run.
Their designs are also more durable than other feeders, and only the peddle mechanics may cause eventual problems due to wear. One thing that should be noted is that when the chickens are feeding the feed is exposed. Care should still be taken when placing the feeder so it is not positioned out in the elements.
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