Anti-waste chicken feeder, made in France

The most important thing is to limit access to food. Rats are primarily attracted to spilled grain and easily accessible feeders. A hanging feeder, with little waste and an opening less accessible from the ground, therefore helps reduce the attractiveness of the coop. It's not an absolute rat-proof guarantee, but it's a very good basis for prevention.

Losses often come from chickens sorting, scratching, or throwing feed out of the feeder, but also from birds and rodents helping themselves. A well-designed feeder helps contain the feed better and prevents it from ending up on the ground. The result: less waste, a cleaner area, and less food accessible to pests.

One feeder is usually enough for 5 chickens. Beyond that, it's better to add a second one to limit conflicts. For autonomy, allow about 120 g of pellets per chicken per day. As an indication, a 3.5 L feeder will last about 4 days for 5 chickens, and a 5.5 L feeder about 6.5 days. In practice, the 3.5 L feeder holds about 20 daily chicken rations, and the 5.5 L feeder about 32 rations.

You can use different types of food, provided they are dry and non-sticky, with little flour. We have successfully tested wheat, pellets, and seed mixes, crushed or not. Generally, the drier and more fluid the food, the better the feeder will work.

Yes, these feeders can be used outdoors. They are resistant to sun and bad weather, and the cap limits water infiltration in case of rain. For best results, it is advisable to place them with their backs to the prevailing wind to prevent rain from being pushed into the opening. In a slightly sheltered spot, their durability will be even better.

The complete version is suitable for those who want a ready-to-use solution that is simple and quick to install. The DIY kit is more for those who want to reuse a tube or integrate the feeder into their own setup. The choice therefore mainly depends on your budget, your available equipment, and your desire to tinker.

At first glance, one might wonder. A basic feeder often costs around ten euros, whereas the entry-level Cocobol, in DIY kit form, is €39.90. That's a difference of approximately €30.

However, this additional cost should be compared to daily feed losses. Between waste from chickens, theft by birds, and access by rats or mice, it's not uncommon to lose a significant portion of food. In some cases, this loss can be estimated at around 50%.

Taking an average price of about €1 per kilo of feed, this means that 30 kg of actually lost food is enough to offset the €30 difference between a basic feeder and a Cocobol.

In other words, if a classic feeder causes you to lose the equivalent of 60 kg of purchased pellets due to 50% waste, then the extra cost of the Cocobol is already amortized. This corresponds to approximately 3 bags of 20 kg.

And this calculation doesn't even take into account the other advantages: less mess on the ground, less attraction for pests, and reduced risks related to diseases or parasites brought by rats and wild birds.

In summary: yes, a Cocobol feeder can be profitable quite quickly, especially if you currently experience significant feed losses around the chicken coop.