Slots or springs in feeders?

[Scully]

Apologies if this has been covered,but 'search' turned up nothing.

On our rough shoot we use springs in the bottom of feeders,but a syndicate where we're all doing the 'keepering job now due to 'keeper retiring last year,has always simply cut slots into the bottom of each feeder.This niggles at me because I think they're hard work for the birds,but they're obviously being used as the feed does go(slowly)but I can't help thinking it may be one of the reasons why we tend to lose birds towards the end of the season as the feeders never seem to get 'hit hard' as I would expect when the severe weather arrives.

Does anybody else use slots?Do you think they're a good/ bad idea,and if so why?

I have to try and sell the idea of springs when we next have a meeting,but have no proof that there's any logic to my theory.Cheers.

[paul041075]

Got both and the pheasants are going to the spring everytime.

 

Im sure people will get mixed results though and have different opinions.

[bodach]

^{If you go with springs, I would fence off my feeders as deer will eat your wheat by knocking the spring with there tounge and wheat costing over £200 a tonne can be costly.}

 

^Bod

[Scully]

^{If you go with springs, I would fence off my feeders as deer will eat your wheat by knocking the spring with there tounge and wheat costing over £200 a tonne can be costly.}

 

^Bod

Yes,you're right.We fence off our feeders on the rough shoot as there are sheep present as well as deer,the syndicate shoot has deer but no sheep.

[rimfire4969]

^{If you go with springs, I would fence off my feeders as deer will eat your wheat by knocking the spring with there tounge and wheat costing over £200 a tonne can be costly.}

 

^Bod

Deer guards seem to do a good job for us.

[Grandalf]

Springs every time - Agree with comments about deer.

Munty's use them as back-scratchers too...

[Degalle79]

We had some with slots, holes and springs. The springs are the only ones getting used so we got all springs now. No deer round us so no worries bout that.

[Albert 888]

We use springs and have done for quite some time to good effect,Its worth fitting a t bar with deer spikes on to end to reduce feed loss,and as mentioned fence feeders of if possible. Also we tried the leterbox type but stoped using due to over feeding.

[Degalle79]

Any views on the 'Wright" feeder?

[malantone]

Any views on the 'Wright" feeder?

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/213718-feeder-springs/

[mark@mbb]

I have been asked to make some feeders for a small shoot we are organising can anyone tell me how high the spring has to be from

the floor for the pheasants

 

Mark

Edited September 18, 2012 by mark@mbb

[ColinF]

I have been asked to make some feeders for a small shoot we are organising can anyone tell me how high the spring has to be from

the floor for the pheasants

 

Mark

 

On our feeders, the bottom of the drum is 18" from the floor

[Alycidon]

Most of mine are springs, I find deer guards do NOT deter Badgers who grab the spring above the spikes and bend it. I have no deer to speak off. I do have slotted feeders and feed use is far less. However I wonder how much from the springs is going to vermin, squirrels swing on the spring, I shot one off a spring last year.

 

A

[scolopax]

Springs are great but I agree that maybe a lot of grain is lost to vermin, especially if the wheat is small grained and a load falls out with every tap. We do not suffer from the attentions of deer until the end of the season, then I put a circle of pig netting around the feeders which seem to do the trick.