I removed all of my J-feeders. I have replaced them with...

[Legacy]

I have removed all of my J-feeders and replaced them with cheap, thrift store, coffee cups that I wired to the inside of the cages.

I have been using a sprinkler to keep my rabbits cool during the hot summer and all of the excess food was wet and wasted everyday. We fashioned some tin caps for the feeders but it didn't keep the water out. Since the cups are on the inside of the cages rather than hanging on the outside, they don't get wet. Plus, I have a tendency of over feeding my rabbits. Coffee cups are only 8 oz. It's hard to give them too much. Another benefit is that it is hard for them to scratch the food out. Some of my rabbits do that. Also, my rabbit cages are in my fenced chicken pen under large oak trees and the chickens usually find a way to knock the lids off the feeders even when we have a wire across them. They are determined chickens. There is just a lot less waste of food this way. The cups cost me 10 cents each. Half of my cages didn't have a whole cut for the feeders yet anyway. I do have to wire up the feeder whole on a few of them but no biggie.

 

[Thumpersden]

sounds like a fantastic idea! I don't use J feeders because I noticed that alot spills and also it messes up their fur abit around their face. For my show rabbits missing fur is not good.

 

[MaggieJ]

I don't blame you for not using the J-feeders... I don't like them either. But I am wondering if the rabbits can get the feed at the bottom of the cup? Aren't they rather deep for the width? I like the "soup mugs" which are broader than they are high, have straight sides and a handle.

 

[PulpFaction]

I have not one but TWO rabbits that are SOMEHOW using their J-Feeders as a litter box, actually peeing in them. Never had this problem before. Usually with scrabblers I just use a coop cup up high for a week or so, but that doesn't help this situation. Blarg.

I would try the mugs, but this is a doe with litter. So, of course when I put a crock down, there are babies all up in that peeing and leaving little rat poops in there.

 

[Legacy]

But I am wondering if the rabbits can get the feed at the bottom of the cup?

I chose the shortest and "widest" cups I could find and most of them get to the bottom just fine. I have one or two that can't get the last tiny bit of feed out of the bottom but we are talking 20 or 30 pellets. Not a problem.

 

[MaggieJ]

Well, that's okay then. I had visions of frustrated and angry bunnies...

 

[sommrluv]

We just purchased all new j feeders and I find the rabbits can't get them to gravity feed.

Also, while I pushing the food down, "helping" it get to the bottom, I sliced my finger open pretty deep.

Not happy. LOL

 

[ladysown]

i use metal water cups for most of my rabbits. The j-feeders collect too many fines and are WAY too easy for bunny sitters to completely overfill.

 

[Jack]

Hum...
Summer, I hate to tell you, but I don't think I would use that brand again,
I just tap the back to see if the pellets will drop

as for cups, same as crocks, check the rabbits, I have one that destroyed his teeth on a crock.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

For a litter, I used a chick feeder, kept the rotating bar in place-- which kept the little ones from sitting in the feeder. Also, the length of the feeder permitted everyone access at the same time. Gave MOmma a break, as well-- she ate from the J-feeder while the kits used the chick feeder.

Oh, I use a stick to help the gravity feed of the J-feeders if tapping the back side with the feed scoop does not work. Looks like every feeding method has pros and cons, as well.

 

[hoodat]

I like the ones with a screen so the fines fall through. Not only won't the rabbits eat the fines but it's bad for them to breathe any dust. They have delicate lungs. I don't use j feeders though. I prefer the pro feeders from Bass. They don't protrude into the cage and it's harder for the kits to get into them to foul the feed.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I like the ones with a screen so the fines fall through. Not only won't the rabbits eat the fines but it's bad for them to breathe any dust. They have delicate lungs. I don't use j feeders though. I prefer the pro feeders from Bass. They don't protrude into the cage and it's harder for the kits to get into them to foul the feed.

I wondered about how well those worked...I may try those next time I replace feeders. Right now I have Fine-X and don't really have any problems them...

 

[fuzzy9]

I use the Fine X ones too, and have no problems with fines. The only problem with with little baby butts, and kits who scratch. I've got the Pro feeders from Bass too, but I can't stand the mess they create on the floor, and the cage under them. The fines can't fall in the pan, so they go all over everything. They didn't prevent scratching either, BUT, they are really easy to add an extra single wire across the front of them, and that has kept them from scratching. It's a compromise I guess, they are messy, but with the added wire, the kits cannot scratch. I want hubby to make me a little tray to put under those feeders, to catch the fines, and then I think they would be awesome!!

 

[Miss M]

I use the Fine X feeders, and don't have much trouble. The lids do not fit well, if you get the lids. I usually have scratching problems only with a litter that is just starting to eat the food in earnest. I rarely fine poops or pee in them.

 

[hoodat]

I use the Fine X ones too, and have no problems with fines. The only problem with with little baby butts, and kits who scratch. I've got the Pro feeders from Bass too, but I can't stand the mess they create on the floor, and the cage under them. The fines can't fall in the pan, so they go all over everything. They didn't prevent scratching either, BUT, they are really easy to add an extra single wire across the front of them, and that has kept them from scratching. It's a compromise I guess, they are messy, but with the added wire, the kits cannot scratch. I want hubby to make me a little tray to put under those feeders, to catch the fines, and then I think they would be awesome!!

That's the one drawback to the ones with screens. They do put the fines onto the ground but mine are either over dirt, which just absorbs it, or a concrete slab that I can just sweep up now and again. On my new cages I'm moving them to the end of the cage instead of the front. That way the fines drop onto the poop chute and get swept into the bin along with the bunny berries.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I don't see a whole lot of fines with my feed, but like Hoodat, mine is over concrete or dirt and can be easily swept up.

For the lids, what I did was push the little tab flat and run a piece of wire thru the holes for lid and feeder and bend the ends around the back. The food stays covered and the lids don't fall off.

 

[ottersatin]

I like the finex [J] feeders,
just a few months ago I purchased 12 more of them to replace
a dozen that were getting on in years. I have no problems with the feeders
and when I had a scrabbler I placed a section of cage wire in the [J] part
and that cured her. If it hadn't she would have been sent packing.
I have a few large feeders that are solid. I use them on feeder lots.
I do have to clean out the fines occasionally.
In a perfect world, everything would always work to your benefit.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[quintex]

I have the Fine X hay/pellet combo J feeders and find that the food doesn't move through them easily. I also have the blue hard plastic ones from bunnyrabbit.com and prefer that kind. The food goes through easily and it does have holes in the bottom to sift out fines.