dusk2dawn Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Morning lads, told today that we have had 11" of rain in November compared with the normal 7", no wonder my legs ache from carrying everything around instead of using the Landy lol. Anyone found that these spiral spring feeders let out too much grain? I have inserted a 6" x 1"dia bit of stick into the bore of the spring, this has reduced the "flow" the birds still get the grain by pecking as normal, but it just takes that bit longer and prevents too much pouring out at one hit. Cheers Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 I don't think they let too much out, but I am not a fan. The deer just pull the springs straight and hoover the grain out. We are replacing all of ours with metal letter boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk2dawn Posted December 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 I don't think they let too much out, but I am not a fan. The deer just pull the springs straight and hoover the grain out. We are replacing all of ours with metal letter boxes. Hi Mung, obviously the reasoning behind hopper feeding is to feed the birds but without them gorging quickly and #### off to the next parish, maybe the ones I am using differ to yours, I cannot imagine deer being able to pull mine out of the hole at the bottom of the drum, its far too tight a fit. What sort of season are you having? We have extraordinary numbers of Woodcock and yet its not been that cold, so far. Rgds Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Ours seem ok, not to much grain comes out at a time, we also have fitted deer guards to ours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 I don't think they let too much out, but I am not a fan.The deer just pull the springs straight and hoover the grain out. We are replacing all of ours with metal letter boxes. Deer round your way must be on steroids to straighten out those spirals! You sure it's not badgers? (Guess you know the difference in the tracks) But even then how on earth as it would take me and a whole bag full of tools to make that sort of impression on them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rifledodger Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 well in my short expereince ive found that its either deer or badgers that pull the springs off and judging it on the only deer on my spot are roe am putting my money on it being badgers. weve tried putting fences round with part burried to stop them digging in seams to work and still allows the pheasents all the access they want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 On our small semi-wild bird shoot we have the opposite problem. They don't let enough out and constantly jam due to the chaff in the wheat. The problem with on demand feeders like these is that when they jam that's it - no food. I've pulled the bottom of the spring out and placed a tray below so it reduces jams, and if it does jam there will be a few days supply in the tray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 I have actually seen roe deer feeding from a spiral feeder, badgers I think pull them straight and let large amounts of grain pour out. Occasionally we have a feeder tipped on its side obviously by roe deer. This season we changed a lot of spirals for rigid tubes which do not seem so prone to be exploited by either of the above. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Nope, it's deffo the deer. We do have some fiesty roe; indeed, we have had those standard thick plastic blue barrels punctured from a being butted by deer. A sturdy bloke would struggle to puncture one with a decent knife and a run up. Besides, the deer don't actually need to pull the spring "straight" - and yes that would take a motorised winch like effort on the part of any animal. Just by modest sideways pulling, the first spriral of the spring gets stretched, loses it's position within the spring coil, and so the spring loses it's coil / funnel shape - hey presto the barrel dumps the contents over the ground. We have gone for metal barrels and metal letter boxes. But that's Essex and its well 'ard wildlife for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ROBSON Posted December 19, 2009 Report Share Posted December 19, 2009 We use T bars on all our spring feeders due to the Roe Deer, they work very well. Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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