Gravity Feed Hoppers with husk catcher

Finch Fry · Post by **Finch Fry** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:24 pm

I picked up some gravity feed hoppers with a little seed catch tray underneath.

Like this...

http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/product_seed-water.mgi (just the hopper)
or this one
https://www.fabulousfinch.com/BIRD-SEED ... 6-133.html

I put them into the finch cages/flights and both of the hoppers have not been used in the 2 days they have been in (i threw in an extra millet in each cage so they had extra food).

Any suggestions or tricks for how to get the finches into eating from them??? If I had a trainer finch that already used them, of course he/she would teach everyone. If i could get just one finch eating the seed from the hopper, then i could just float him through the cages to train everyone. Any ideas?

BirdCrazy · Post by **BirdCrazy** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:00 pm

I use those in all of my cages except my aviary. What I do to teach a new bird is put a tray or dish of food in front of the opening of the hopper in the cage. That way they have to go there to get food. Once they are eating well from that tray I remove it and then they know to go to that same area to get food. My hoppers are right by the floor of the cage so I set my tray of food there on the floor. If your hoppers are higher you could hook a small feeder dish to the front of the hopper where they are supposed to eat from to your wire until they are eating in that area. Make sense?

Finch Fry · Post by **Finch Fry** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:34 pm

Check. Will try that tomorrow AM before I leave for work. Hopefully i find a tray full of husk in the PM when i return.

franny · Post by **franny** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:50 pm

I would just put a small piece of a millet spray in the hopper, just lay it on top of the seeds.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:08 am

There would not be room to put a millet spray in the hopper on top of the seeds - it's a tiny tray the seeds fall into.

When I first intro'd the hoppers, I put the hanging cup of seed they always ate from right beside the hopper. So when they were eating from the old cup they would be able to look into the hopper and see seeds there too.

The hoppers have worked for every bird I have EXCEPT the Fire and Strawberry Finches. I can only guess it's too far for them to stretch to get to the seeds in the tray of the hopper.

PS - the hoppers do catch most (90%) of the seed husks but I still end up with a lot on the floor below the hoppers.

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 11:16 am

I use the hoppers too and really like them.

But I was wondering....if anybody has used the hoppers for any other type of food....like the Goldenfeast dry eggfood. Do you think that would work in that type of hopper?

DVBourassa · Post by **DVBourassa** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 11:26 am

I just ordered the ones from fabulous finch. Lady Gouldian was out of stock. Hopefully they'll make cleaning hulls out of the seed less of a chore.

BirdCrazy · Post by **BirdCrazy** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 11:32 am

You won't have to clean hulls at all! They drop right into the tray below. I love mine!! Sometimes there is some food dropped in there too but I dump mine into my Button Quail cages and they eat it right up. You can also save the used food and give it to the outside birds. Then you don't feel like you have any waste.

Finch Fry · Post by **Finch Fry** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 11:55 am

Great ideas ALL over the place here.

Today before leaving for work I butted up the feed cub with seeds next to the loaded hopper. I also snaked the millet right up to the hopper as well. The millet doesnt go on the seeds, it goes right up to the spot where the seed husks fall through the grate into the catcher.

I woke up early this AM so I could do this and sit and watch them while I had breakfast. Both the golds the the female star were eating from the millet and seed cup. I guess tonight will tell the tale if I find the hopper catch try with some husk. And also the floor right next to them.

Thanks for great ideas everyone. Also, I am collecting my old seeds that get pooped in and husked and throw it outside for the geese and birds. I just throw it far away from my apt so the geese and birds dont congregate in my general area to prevent them from pooping all over my car or steps.

How does everyone dehusk their seed pile when its mixed together? I use a mini handheld vacuum and i bring it down slowly towards the seeds. I wait until i see stuff flying into it and then wave it at that height around the cup and it seems to get the husks and not the seeds.

cntrymeadow · Post by **cntrymeadow** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 6:35 pm

I am interested in those seed hoppers as I feel Im wasting a lot of seed now. I try to just remove the top layer of husks but a lot of times seed goes with it.

Question:
Do those seed hoppers fit in the opening of a cage so I can just replace the normal feeders with these?

cntrymeadow · Post by **cntrymeadow** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 6:38 pm

Here we go!

seed hopper

Post by **Sally** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 8:06 pm

cntrymeadow wrote:Do those seed hoppers fit in the opening of a cage so I can just replace the normal feeders with these?

It depends on your cage. For some cages, they will fit in the small feeder doors that are near the bottom, some feeder doors are too small. Some cages have a large middle door which has a smaller door inside it--that small door will usually work. Some of the cages that have a breeder door on the side, especially those that are down low, will work well for the seed hopper.

I have some wire breeding cages that will only work with the seed hoppers hanging on the inside. With my single HQ flight cages, I have to hang the hoppers on the inside of the door. With my double HQ flight cage, they fit perfectly in the small feeder doors, so hang on the outside. If I were building a cage, I would plan it so the hopper can hang on the outside--easier to fill with seed or empty the hull drawer without disturbing the birds so much.

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 8:25 pm

The way I get rid of the husk I take A soda straw and gently blow the husk out just takes a few secounds,my birds are on porch i just step outside to clean the seed containers works for me

I have two of those from just birds they are good , husk are easy to get out of those

Finch Fry · Post by **Finch Fry** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 8:51 pm

Update....

Came home tonight. There are some slight husks in the catch tray. I dunno if it was from the hopper that they were eaten or if it was from the dish next to it. Either way, they are associating the location with food. After the weekend, i will take away the food dish and see if they transition to the hoppers.

cntrymeadow · Post by **cntrymeadow** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 11:29 pm

Im going to stop at the local pet store tomorrow to see if they have these but I doubt it.

For some of my cages I would like these on the inside.
Do they come equipped or have a way of hanging them inside the cage instead of in a door?