Dine a Chook is dedicated to providing top-quality service and products to backyard chicken keepers in the UK, Ireland, Australia and beyond. Our Chicken Feeders address the flaws in other common feeder designs. We believe they will exceed your expectations of performance and durability. And they are so easy to install and use. Here's our Guide on Using a Dine a Chook Chicken Feeder.
What is the best chicken feed for use with a Dine a Chook feeder?
Many customers choose a "scratch mix" or mixed-grain to feed their poultry. This is not only the "best looking" feed on the market, it is usually the cheapest. Scratch mixes are cheapest for a reason. Also, there are good reasons to avoid using them. They lack sufficient protein and nutrients for laying hens.They also encourage selective feeding. This means more feed is wasted which costs your more on feed in the long run.
Chickens are like children. They eat what they like first. Chickens behave the same way with a grain mix. They eat their favourites like corn and sunflower seeds first. This means they are not receiving a nutritionally balanced diet. This also means they spill feed on the floor of the coop which in turn attracts rodents.
Dine a Chook Waste-Reducing Chicken Feeders are most effective when used with crumbed or pellet feed. These feeds might not look as appealing. However they offer more nutrition. they also discourage selective feeding. This helps lessen the likelihood of feed on the ground as well as the attraction for rats and rodents.
How do I to install a Dine a Chook No Waste Chicken Feeder?
Installing your Dine a Chook Feeder is easy. Everything you need is supplied in the complementary Dine a Chook Mounting Kit.
How high off the ground should my feeder be?
Our feeders should be mounted at “chicken height” for best results. This allows the patented design to prevent spillage and to deter rodents, mice as well as wild birds. If you try to keep the coop floor clean it shall help vermin-proof your coop. If you have a severe rodent infestation, install your chicken feeder even higher and provide a “step” for chickens. The step could be a brick or timber to allow them to access the feed.
We recommend mounting the feeder 100-150 mm above floor level. It should be in line with the back of the bird’s neck. This shall vary according to breed. Always mount your feeder so that it is accessible to the smallest bird in your flock. If you have several breeds, we suggest purchasing two feeders as well as installing at two different heights.
Mounting your feeder using the in-built mounting hooks:
Your Dine a Chook Chicken Feeder has 3 moulded rear hooks. Only two of these hooks are required to mount the feeder. We suggest the top and bottom hook.
These hooks can be used to mount the feeder directly in many modern chicken coops. Wire Mesh mounting is also fine as long as it is strong enough to support the full feeder.
Mounting your feeder using the complementary Mounting Kit:
If you cannot mount your Dine a Chook Feeder directly, we have provided a Mounting Kit with steel brackets and screws to suit any situation. The steel brackets fit the mounting hooks on the body of the feeder. Use a standard drill bit to fix the supplied screws into wood as well as metal surfaces.
Simply hold the brackets onto the top and bottom mounting hooks and situate your feeder at the correct height (see above). Mark the bracket locations, or simply hold the top bracket in place and remove the feeder. Screw the bracket into place and repeat with the second bracket. That’s it, your Dine a Chook Feeder is ready to go!
Where should I install my Dine a Chook Chicken Feeder?
The Dine a Chook Feeder is designed to be water-tight and weather proof. However where possible we recommend installation in a sheltered area. Installation inside the chicken coop rather than in the run will ensure that feed is better protected from rain as well as adverse weather. This placement also enhance the effectiveness of our rodent-resistant features.
How often do I need to fill my Dine a Chook Feeder?
Refilling will vary depending on the age, breed and also individual characteristics of your chickens. Obviously the number of birds in your flock and also the time of year relates to how frequent you should top up the Feeder. As a general guide, our 3.5 Litre Feeder will feed 4 chickens for 4 days. Our larger 4.7 Litre Feeder will feed 6 chooks for 4 days.
How much feed should be in the feeder?
Dine a Chook Chicken Feeders work perfectly with any amount of feed.