Oh, I wish I had a picture of what Marty and I saw today!
The chooks have been using the treadle feeder for a while now.. and they have the hang of it just fine. They jump on the treadle, see the food and eat like there's nothing more natural in the world. Even Chicken, at the bottom of the pecking order, proudly shows off her treadle expertise now days. Infact, lazier chooks wait for her to open it up for them!
Anyway, today Marty and I spied a pidgen in the chook yard. It was unusual only because most of the birds have given up by now. We watched it for a little bit as it pecked around the treadle feeder. I thought "No way, it can't be that smart." and sure enough, it hopped on the treadle!
Thankfully it wasn't nearly heavy enough to open the lid, and it was soon gone again.
The chooks no longer have to put up with mice scuttling around the roof in the evenings.. they're all but gone! Little european finches aren't hanging around in flocks eating the feed (making a mess and giving chooks lice). As an added bonus (as if saving money and sanity wasn't enough), the treadle feeders hold plenty of food, so the chooks never run out or carry-on at me in the mornings for their breakfast.
Makes for a healthier, happier chook pen all round.
It's a common misconception that chook people are just plain crazy - but in fact, we make impeccable sense! ;)
ReplyDeleteGood win for the chook yard and persistence pays off in the end. Well done. Glad to hear your chooks are still doing well for you both.
I have a new lot which I've been meaning to share on my blog, but they're not all heritage breeds. They've just started laying properly so I may find myself visiting the pen more regularly for pictures. :)
You see I looked at the price of these and thought. No Way! But now the chooks are missing from the yard, and the sparrows have eaten all that was left, it is remarkable how sparrow-free the garden is. Must get one when I reintroduce chookens to my life.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris and Jo!
ReplyDeleteJo, I thought the same thing about the price. Couldn't justify the nearly $200 for a pre-made one, even if it is metal. So, this one was made for around $80-90. However, after using it, I would say that even the expensive ones will pay for themselves in time. I was going through almost a 30kg bag per week before. Nothing like that now. That same bag will easily last 2.5 weeks at this rate I'd guess. Easily. I'll have to write it down next time I buy a bag! :)