Feeders

Automatic feeder for chickens

You want to keep chickens and wonder whether it makes sense to invest in a chicken feeder? We explain the advantages of this helpful accessory and give helpful tips!

What are the advantages of an automatic feeder?

• The daily workload for feeding your poultry is minimised. Depending on the capacity of the feeder and the number of chickens kept, the feed dispenser for chickens provides a supply of feed for several days and does not have to be refilled as frequently as in the case of feed troughs or troughs. Feeding is therefore particularly convenient and time-saving for the chicken keeper.

• Even when the chicken keeper is absent, the chickens are reliably fed.

• The machine only dispenses new feed as soon as the leftovers have been picked up. This means that fresh feed is always available for your chickens.

• Since an automatic feeder is a closed system, it is largely protected from rain and contamination.

• Feed consumption is significantly reduced, as it is more difficult for the chickens to scrape feed out of the feeders.

What types of feeders are available?

The horizont range offers a wide selection of different feeders. Many models have a bracket so that they can be hung up or attached to a wall if required. This has the advantage that the chickens cannot defecate in the feeder and the feed is better protected from contamination.

Other models are equipped with feet, so that even in this case an elevated position of the feeder prevents contamination of the feed.

If your automatic feeder has neither a suspension device nor feet, you still have the option of purchasing a metal stand or an anti-soiling plate for automatic feeders and drinkers separately.

Automatic feeder with kick plate
Feeders that are equipped with a footstep flap offer special protection against gnawers. Only when a chicken stands on the kick plate, the mechanism of the automatic feeder is triggered and the lid to the feed opens. Since a certain minimum weight (which can usually still be adjusted as needed) is required to trigger the kick plate mechanism, rats, mice and other feed thieves have no access to the feed and consequently there is no feed loss and contamination.

How do the materials of the different feeders differ?

In our range you can choose between feeders made of metal and plastic.

Feeders made of plastic are particularly easy to clean and are comparatively very inexpensive.

A possible disadvantage could be the light weight of the plastic feeder. As the amount of feed decreases, there is a risk that chickens could knock the feeder over.

Metal feeders are also characterised by easy cleaning. The risk of the feeder being knocked over by your chickens is extremely low with this model, as metal feeders have a high dead weight.

Compared to feeders made of plastic, those made of metal are priced higher.

How big should the poultry feeder for chickens be?

The number of chickens to be fed is decisive for choosing the right size of poultry feeder. The amount of feed a chicken needs daily depends on the breed. An average meal would be a portion of 100 g - 150 g of dry feed per day. This means with 10 chickens, the feeder must have room for 1000 g - 1500 g and be filled once a day. If you do not want to fill the feeder silo every day and plan in advance, it is recommended to purchase a feeder with a larger feed capacity.

What kind of food are the feeders suitable for?

Only use dry feed in your automatic feeder to avoid blockages and contamination and to ensure a long life for your automatic feeder for chickens.