Product Evaluation – Jewel or Junk !

S. W. Houston · Post by **S. W. Houston** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 3:58 pm

I’d very much like to see a Thread started, where we could discuss products we’ve used, or wanted, or ask questions about them, see if anyone else may have some information, or where to get something.
Finch related of course !

How about it ?

Have a good Day !

S. W. Houston

fairestfinches · Post by **fairestfinches** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 4:45 am

Hey, S.W.!

If you want info on products that have been tried and tested, check out our website ... http://www.fairestfinches.com. We've tried/tested a lot of products over the years. The ones that worked the best, were safest, and gave us/the birds the absolute best results are the products listed on our website.

I would also like to hear from other members about what they use/have used, how well a product has worked, etc. We are always looking for ways that could possibly improve the life, health, quality of our birds.

Michele

S. W. Houston · Post by **S. W. Houston** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 2:02 pm

Michele,
Thank you again (and again and again) !

I'll definitely check it out.

Have a good Day !

Edit:
Checked your Site out, nice turn on the name !

S. W. Houston · Post by **S. W. Houston** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:12 pm

Hopper with removable Tray

MFG: Mecanhor (that's all I could find on it)

Just got this item, and thought I’d give you some information about it. I’m not saying if I think It’s a Jewel or Junk, you make up your own evaluation. This Hopper is designed to work with a Wire Door only, or be hung inside a Cage.

Have numbered views according to the Paragraph that describes them.
See at: http://www.finchforum.com/gallery/displ ... fullsize=1

1. Hopper must be quite full, to sufficiently feed Seed into Feed Tray.

2. Fresh Feed Tray, is quite narrow (depth-front to back). Birds have to work at it, to get to the Seed.

3, There’s a secondary Tray in front of the Fresh Seed Tray, just seems to be in the way. Catches Husks unnecessarily, reducing area where the Husks could fall freely into the Debris Catch Tray.

4. Hopper hooks on bottom of the Wire Cage opening well, but the bottom Tray of the Cage, keeps Husks drawer from closing fully. Left picture shows approximately how far it is pushed back by Cage. This drawer was fitted into the slots very snugly, I have to hold on to the Hopper firmly, to withdraw it. That could be a problem, see Paragraph #5 for reason.

5. This Hopper is made to be used with a completely Wire Door. The upper Hook seems sturdy enough, but it’s so short (height), that I was compelled to fabricate a stiff Wire Clamp to go around the Hopper. This Safety Wire may not be necessary, I made it just to ease my concern, if the Birds jumped into the Hopper hard enough, that it might dislodge the hook from the Door, letting he Hopper drop to the floor, with one or more of the Birds in it.

This Hopper would be great, inside a Cage, the “down” hooks for hanging it are sturdy, the Feed Cover and entrance, completely protects Seed from debris. One thing for sure, once one or two Birds get in there, they got it, it’s like a little Fortress !

But, inside is not where I want it, bought it to keep the “work/hands” outside the Breeding Cage. I wish there had been a better Picture of this before I bought it (online), I might have had second thoughts. But it may work quite well for some.

I don’t think this is the Hopper that was recommended to me, there’s probably several models of this. SO, just take a good look at what you’re buying.

See Instructions for Security Clamp at:
http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=1944

Have a good Day !

S. W. Houston

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 5:11 pm

Say!.....What Timing....I just got two of those exact same seed hoppers in my order today!!!

I seemed there were good reports about this hopper and the users liked them.

I will let you know what I think once I start using them.

Post by **Hilary** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 6:42 pm

Personally I love them! Mine work even when low on seed (I just give it a shake to make sure the seed is available through the slot in the bottom), and the catch tray slides all the way closed unless I'm using it on a cage with a really low door - for most of my cages it sits too high to interfere with the tray. My only problem has been with the societies, who will fill up the catch tray pretty quickly (piggies), and with seed moths, who LOVE to nest in these. This can result in a clog in the hopper, so while the hopper is full there may actually not be any seed available to the birds below the clog (I had two VERY hungry goulds before I figured out why there weren't any hulls in the catch tray). Once I added DE earth, though, no more seed moth problems in the hoppers.

Jewel!

Post by **Sally** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:45 am

I love them, too, and my Societies are the same, fill that drawer up too fast! That's the only thing I have to watch on them, to empty that drawer regularly, but my seed flows down the hopper right till it is almost out of seed. I'll have to compare mine with your photos (I think they're all the same), but I have to wait till morning.

S. W. Houston · Post by **S. W. Houston** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:23 am

I'm VERY glad both of you have ones that work. I sincerely think I may have gotten a "Knock Off', of the item. I didn't order mine from the company Sally got hers from. Don't know where you got yours, Hilary, but, no doubt, I got jipped.

Never the less, I think this discussion had produced good information, I'm sure whoever may want one now, will be watching these issues closely, and buying theres from a reputable source.

Have a good Day !

Post by **Sally** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:16 pm

My hoppers look exactly like your photos, in fact the same mfg name is stamped on the bottom. I think the secondary tray in front may be because the birds tend to toss seed around, and this keeps too much seed from falling down into the catch tray. Some of my birds are messier than others, so I do have to sweep out that secondary tray with my finger from time to time.

And though it is a small area where the seed flows in, it is sufficient for the birds to eat (and I feel that it doesn't hurt them to have to work at it, gives them something more to do).

These hoppers work great on my wire cages, I hang them on the outside, with the hopper resting on the bottom of the opening, and the door hooked into the catch slot on the top. Some doors are fitted loosely, and can let the hopper hang backwards a little, that would probably slow down the flow. Some of my cages have too large a door in the front, but they have a nestbox door on the side that is just right. Most of my breeding cages are the galvanized wire, 1x1/2 mesh, so I have to hang the feeders on the inside. Once these breeding cages are empty, I'm going to cut openings on each one so I can hang the feeders on the outside.

And my catch trays close all the way, but I do admit, I have to hang on to the hopper while I remove and replace the catch drawer. If your cage tray is interfering with the catch tray, it sounds like you are using the feed doors--is there any opening a little higher that you can use? Or could you cut an opening especially for the seed hopper?

S. W. Houston · Post by **S. W. Houston** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 4:45 pm

Sally,
Glad yours are working better than the one I got ! I Have made a little Wire Drop Clip, to keep the Hopper pulled up to the Cage. Might get a picture of it, and put it in Gadgets, just in case someone else has a problem with theirs.

On the Tray, I got a flat File, and took a few thousands of the side Tabs, and it made it a LOT easier to slip in and out of the Hopper, they were a little too wide. Also focused on the front of the Tabs, rounding them off some, made it a lot easier to reinsert into the Hopper. Might get a picture of that too, couldn’t hurt.

You’re right about my Cage Doors, they are set very low in the Cage. It does keep the Drawer pushed out about 3/8”, though the Cage sorta makes the Husks go inside or back out into the Tray.
I just think I got a dud Hopper, given that they’re Plastic and molding them frequently lets one not be as good as others.

Again, glad yours is working well for you.

Have a good Day !

fairestfinches · Post by **fairestfinches** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 11:26 pm

S.W. Houston,

We have had a couple of hoppers that were duds ourselves. Sometimes modifications are needed to get them to work properly.

Something to consider is exchanging yours if you can.

Sean

S. W. Houston · Post by **S. W. Houston** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:42 am

Sean,
Gees, I’m glad to hear that, I thought they (where I bought it) were mad at me for some reason !

Exchange, that sounds nice, but “THROW” was more what I had in mind !

I admit, I’m kinda picky when it comes to equipment performance, give people some slack, but that’s where it ends. But, actually have had fun making the little changes to the Hopper, I like to do stuff like that. When I bought my new Cages, it took me a couple days, to beef up the connections and get them like I wanted. I’m really getting discouraged with Manufacturing practices now a days, seems like “they” are cutting TOO many corners. Feel sorry for someone who buys something and it’s a piece of drek, and they’re not handy enough to over come that and make it work.

GURRRR!

Have a good Day !

PS:
I found it, and it's:
MeCanHor
Toutun Mecanhor SA
103 Franklin AV Roosevelt
69150 - DECINES (That's in France)
And the Hopper is for FRENCH Canaries, THAT EXPALINS EVERYTHING !

But I DO like their little Bathbub at:
http://72.30.186.56/babelfish/translate ... -cadre.htm
(then click on "osellerie", it's kinda hard to hit, be exactly over it)

fairestfinches · Post by **fairestfinches** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:30 pm

I can understnad your frustration with faulty merchandise. I know I'm expected to put out high levels of quality in my work, and I don't think it's too much to ask the same in return. It seems quality control is a-kin to rocket science.

I tend to tinker with things myself, and often can make modifications to make something work better. Sometimes it drives Michele nuts, but I warned her before we got married that I was a bit anal about things sometimes. When we were dating she was amazed that I had more tools in my work shop than her father. He and I get along great as a result.

Sean

S. W. Houston · Post by **S. W. Houston** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:24 pm

Sean,

As would we, no doubt !

Oh by the way, my Hen just hatched the first chick about noon, two to go !

Just thought I'd mention that !

Have a good Day !

James · Post by **James** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 2:25 am

I agree with you all I got my HQ16421 Double Flight Cage and the center wall was Damaged and as it was packed in the middle of the box it is obvious that the damage was done before packing. i sent them an e-mail with pix but have not heard from them.
James