new feeder & waterer

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finchandlovebird
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new feeder & waterer

Post by finchandlovebird » Sat Jul 19, 2014 5:38 pm

Just received my order today from http://www.thefinchconnections.com and I'm so happy with it.

If you go to their website, under bird feeders, it's the Diamont Economy Bird Feeder for up to 1/2# - cost is $6.50. Can't tell much from the pic, but it has the tray underneath to catch the seed hulls.

If you go to their spot for bird waterers, it's the bird waterer with double ball tip for $2.80.

This bird feeder is equal or better than the "vacation feeder" many of us use. Albeit it's $1.00 more in price. After 10 minutes of mental anguish I finally figured out how to put it together; and think it's a super duper feeder. You can hang it outside or inside the cage, & the hooks are MUCH sturdier than the vacation feeder. I have a couple vacation feeders for which the plastic sides have cracked or the holders broke off, & sometimes they are a struggle to hang. This one works 100% better.

I'm intrigued with the waterer too. Has double balls, so maybe I won't have to worry about it getting stuck. It also has an ingenious clip as part of the unit which clamps onto the cage bars so nicely. The Lixit waterers I've bought in the past are $8 or $9.

Both products are made in Italy.
Dolly J

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, 1 Parakeet
Raised Gouldians & Scarlet Chested Parakeets in past years

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Ginene
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Re: new feeder & waterer

Post by Ginene » Sat Jul 19, 2014 11:08 pm

I like the look of that feeder Dolly. All of my guys eat from the typical "vacation feeders" most of us have. But I'm curious to know how your birds like the new ones, since I have similar issues with my current ones (cracking or broken hooks). I'm going to be ordering 10 new feeders and would love to hear your feedback about the new ones. Thanks :)

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Re: new feeder & waterer

Post by Corkysgirl » Sat Jul 19, 2014 11:11 pm

I would like to hear also Dolly. I have to order new feeders also. Which feeders do you use now Ginene? I haven't been using vacation feeders as I never leave the house but bath water is getting in the feeders and the seed waste is astronomical. I need a new solution.

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Sally
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Re: new feeder & waterer

Post by Sally » Sun Jul 20, 2014 12:21 am

I ordered the single-hole feeder and the three-hole feeder to try out. After I had already ordered them, I was warned by another breeder that these may not work well for my small waxbills, as it is too far from the outside hole to the seed inside. Now that I have them, I can see that it could be a problem. Apparently, these were originally designed to be used with canaries, and I can see where they would work for them. I can't see my little Goldbreasts using these feeders. I will give them a try, and if they don't work, I'll add them to my sale table at the next mart. :wink:
3 Purple Grenadiers, 1 Goldbreast + 1 cat.

National Finch & Softbill Society - http://www.nfss.org

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Re: new feeder & waterer

Post by Ginene » Sun Jul 20, 2014 2:08 am

Corkysgirl...This isnt a great picture, but you can see the vacation feeder on the top right of the pic; my male owl is perching on top of it :) . This flight has 4 feeders mounted on the inside, but they mount from the outside too! They are great for keeping seed clean, preventing waste and collecting seed hulls. I would like to buy a dozen more so I have 2 sets for cleaning purposes. I bought mine @ glamgouldians.com. I put 1 feeder per pair of birds in my flights...except for my society flight; they have 5 feeders for 8 birds because they're little piggies ;) .
_20140330_141340.JPG

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Re: new feeder & waterer

Post by Corkysgirl » Sun Jul 20, 2014 2:19 am

Thanks Ginene! I want to buy vacation feeders (closed feeders) that are proven...other people like so I don't go through any more trials. I swear I've tried everything out there already and could start a store. :roll: I'm going to try them. :D

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Re: new feeder & waterer

Post by MiaCarter » Sun Jul 20, 2014 4:45 am

finchandlovebird -- Thanks for your reviews!

For those with the vacation-style feeders....
How do they manage with the seed hulls?
My guys don't seem to toss them out. I usually have to skim them off the top of the seeds in the cup with a spoon at breakfast and dinner.
Do you need to do that with the vacation-style feeders? Or do they seem to discard them outside the feeder once they get to a certain quantity?

I also noticed that site has a small water trough (http://www.thefinchconnections.com/bird ... r-waterer/)
That's great for epileptic birds who can't have an open water source due to the drowning risk. I have an enormous one, so this small one would be great! (I don't have any epileptic birds at the moment, but I've gotten a few as fosters, so good to have on-hand!)
Humum to....
13 Zebra Finches....and 2 squeeps!
3 Society Finches
6 Gouldians
1 Weaver
1 Pintail Whydah
2 Cockatiels
2 Parakeets

....along with 1 MinPin, 1 Pug, 1 JRT, 1 Yorkie, 2 Chihuahuas and 15 cats.


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Re: new feeder & waterer

Post by Corkysgirl » Sun Jul 20, 2014 4:57 am

MiaCarter, that's the kind of water dish we use for our chickens and turkeys only it's bigger and red/white. I did have one bird drown so that is a good option for an epileptic bird if they have it scaled down to finch size.

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Re: new feeder & waterer

Post by MiaCarter » Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:08 am

Corkysgirl -- the big water trough I have is red and white, so perhaps the same one? It's definitely big enough for a large bird. I got it when I had an epileptic military macaw in my care, but it was even on the large side for him, but it was the only one I could find. Way too big for small birds like finches.
Humum to....
13 Zebra Finches....and 2 squeeps!
3 Society Finches
6 Gouldians
1 Weaver
1 Pintail Whydah
2 Cockatiels
2 Parakeets

....along with 1 MinPin, 1 Pug, 1 JRT, 1 Yorkie, 2 Chihuahuas and 15 cats.


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www.PetFinchFacts.com

Corkysgirl
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Re: new feeder & waterer

Post by Corkysgirl » Sun Jul 20, 2014 6:04 am

It probably is the same one. They're pretty standard sized...the red/white ones. It would be large even for a macaw. Awww, an epileptic macaw. What a job that must have been taking care of him!

finchandlovebird
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Re: new feeder & waterer

Post by finchandlovebird » Sun Jul 20, 2014 8:39 am

It's only been one day with the new feeder, but the birds have taken to it very well.
With the "vacation feeder" we all have (& Ginene pictured above) I hang mine from the very top edge of the gridwork so there is no room for them to sit on the top. It's a struggle though sometimes to get them in place. This new feeder I have has much better hangers; just super.
For those of you contemplating new feeders, I heartily suggest you try one of these. They are a challenge to put together, but well worth the effort all around.
"old" vacation feeder hang tabs
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new feeder hang tabs
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IMG_1313 (256x192).jpg (74.64 KiB) Viewed 5397 times
Dolly J

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Colt
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Re: new feeder & waterer

Post by Colt » Sun Jul 20, 2014 11:20 am

MiaCarter - with the vacation-style feeders:

I have mine mounted outside the cage. It's a bit hard to tell from Ginene's picture, but the birds reach over a grated area to reach the seed trough. They raise back into a more comfortable position to hull the seeds and the hulls fall through the grate into the seed hull drawer underneath. Once the drawer is full you empty it.

I've heard they can sometimes become clogged with chaff or other debris, but I haven't had a problem like that yet. My biggest problem has been getting the birds to consistently use them. I normally wait until one of my breeding pairs has chicks and then add it on. They seem more driven to look for food and try them, and if the adults don't the weaning babies will sometimes. But I've had several pairs that wouldn't touch them for weeks and I just move on to the next cage.

Amethyst Starling
BF and RT Parrot Finch
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
Lady Gouldian
Owl Finch
Shaft-tail Finch
Society Finch
Star Finch
Strawberry
Tri-colored Nun
Zebra Finch
Diamond Dove
Bourke & Scarlet-chested Parakeet


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Re: new feeder & waterer

Post by MiaCarter » Sun Jul 20, 2014 11:35 am

Colt -- Ah, thanks for explaining!

That seems like it would be a very neat system....if they use it!

My guys are super picky, so I wouldn't be surprised if they snubbed it. But it's quite inexpensive so I think I'll give them a try!

Very clever of you to think of introducing them when they're feeding babies!
Humum to....
13 Zebra Finches....and 2 squeeps!
3 Society Finches
6 Gouldians
1 Weaver
1 Pintail Whydah
2 Cockatiels
2 Parakeets

....along with 1 MinPin, 1 Pug, 1 JRT, 1 Yorkie, 2 Chihuahuas and 15 cats.


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www.PetFinchFacts.com

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Colt
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Re: new feeder & waterer

Post by Colt » Sun Jul 20, 2014 11:58 am

My initial thought was to keep them from running out of food. Sometimes those standard cups that come with the wire cages just isn't enough for a pair plus 4-6 chicks.

They are fabulous feeders. Like I said mine are mounted outside with the cup door open. There are two sets of hooks, so the feeder sets in the open door and the door slides down into the other set of clips.

My Zebras took to it immediately. But I didn't give them much of a choice. All the other birds get about a tablespoon of seed in their regular cup and the new feeder when I add it. I can tell when they start to use it because of the hulls in the drawer. I had two different Gouldian pairs that had it for over three weeks each and they refused to use it. So did the Society pair with five baby Owls. Gave one to another pair of Gouldians on eggs and they were using it within hours. The Shaft-tails will use it but it seems like only when their other cup has too many hulls. Maybe I should stop offering food in the familiar dish all together and then they'd use the new ones, but oh well.

I think you'll be really pleased with them when you get them. Especially if you're sweeping up as many hulls as I do. And let me tell you how rewarding it is to dump that little drawer and not see any seeds in it. It's fabulous! My other cages waste a lot of seed.

Amethyst Starling
BF and RT Parrot Finch
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
Lady Gouldian
Owl Finch
Shaft-tail Finch
Society Finch
Star Finch
Strawberry
Tri-colored Nun
Zebra Finch
Diamond Dove
Bourke & Scarlet-chested Parakeet


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Sally
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Re: new feeder & waterer

Post by Sally » Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:58 pm

I agree that the vacation feeders save on a lot of seed. I still have a few birds that will sweep whole seeds into the hull drawer as they search for their favorites, but most of my birds eat just about everything. As you said, Colt, when I empty the hull drawers, they are full of hulls only.

I find that the hull drawers fill up long before the seed hopper gets low or empty. I also heard that some people had trouble with them clogging. I have gotten in the habit of simply shaking the feeder on the days that I empty the hull drawer. This moves the seed around a bit, and I've never had a problem with clogging. I can go out of town for a few days, and the birds have plenty of seed. They miss out on their extras those days, but it doesn't kill them.
3 Purple Grenadiers, 1 Goldbreast + 1 cat.

National Finch & Softbill Society - http://www.nfss.org

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