Feeder not dropping corn?

[texast224]

Looks like the corn is getting bound up in the funnel and is not dropping like it should. Too dirty? Dust settling to the bottom and causing it to bind up I guess? I have to sit there and pound in the side of the barrel to get the funnel to fill up. Two spins later and the same issue....

Noticed last time I filled it there was a little more dust than usual, and a few small pieces of stalk in the bag, but not enough to matter I thought.

I've added stuff like acorn rage and hog heaven to the barrel and never had a problem before so I didn't think corn dust would matter either.

Feeder is cheap plastic Remington academy special but bottom of barrel is sloped so wouldn't think feeding to funnel would be a problem. Hasn't been in the past.

So curious if corn is too "dirty" do you get this issue. Was using feed store corn that is alot cheaper than academy, but will say academy corn is alot cleaner - not much dust, an so that is what I'm thinkin the cause of the problem.

Anybody else have this issue? Feeder hasnt dropped corn in 2 months or so

[Bowhunter004]

Only time I've ever had corn not feed is when the corn got water on it and it started molding and sticking together. Did you pop the top and see what it looked like inside?

[arrowdiger]

Ajust the spinner so it's a little further from the funnel.

[El Viejo]

Only time I've ever had corn not feed is when the corn got water on it and it started molding and sticking together. Did you pop the top and see what it looked like inside?

This is what I've experienced as well. I would empty the corn out and check it. It might be wet, or it could be dirty. Either way, emptying it will tell you. Fill it with new clean corn. Use the old stuff to sour and attract hogs with if that's something you would want to do.

[sharkhunter]

I would say its one of three things. Molded corn, gap on the spin plate is not big enough or trash in corn. From what your saying I'm thinking molded corn. Your lid may have a leak?

[texast224]

Top layer looked perfect, nothing sticking together. I ran a long stick down the barrel and corn fell to the plate. Corn coming out of funnel doesn't look moldy or anything, get alot of dust and some weevils actually.

Plate distance isn't a problem - corn stops falling down the funnel all together, empty space between spinner plate and funnel.

Got 300 lbs sitting in there now, hoping I don't have to toss... But I suppose it could have gotten a little wet in the middle since I have a solar panel mounted to the side and bolted through barrel. Has never been a problem before and there hasn't been hardly any rain. Cheap 2 piece feeder, maybe seal is leaking where the 2 halves bolt together.

Maybe need to cut a bigger hole and get a bigger funnel and then just manage feed rate with plate distance to funnel.

[COWDOG]

Either:
Molded corn
Corn stalks in the corn
Or the acorn rage is balling up at the opening of the funnel in side.

I tried acorn rage in my feeders and nothing but problems.

[texast224]

I think I'm going to run the bottom half the barrel out through the funnel and see what happens. Hopefully it was just that 1 or 2 bags that had a little trash in it.

[47]

mold

[gonehuntin68]

Sounds like mold to me and if it is you will want to dump all the corn out and clean the inside. If you don't you will continue to have problems. Ask me how I know. Most of those plastic barrels don't have a good enough slope to feed all the corn and they really need to be cleaned out every year or so because the corn tends to mold on the bottom because it never gets to the funnel.

[dustoffer]

Maybe need to cut a bigger hole and get a bigger funnel and then just manage feed rate with plate distance to funnel.

This is my bet for solution-although the powdered stuff you've been dumping in might contribute as well. If you don't want to lose the corn, get some empty sacks, remove the mechanism, and drain the corn into the sacks so you can see what kind of "chunks" are inside the feeder. Surely might be a leak at the solar panel too--doesn't take much.

[WTN]

I had a funnel get bent causing the feed to hang up. Hammered it out and no problems since. Of course you have to empty the feeder first.

[texast224]

Well there is the problem, weevils and a ton of dust. Looks like it compacted the corn around the funnel preventing anything from dropping down. Dust pouring out when I opened it up, thinking maybe weevils caused it plus trashy to begin with. Saw no clumps or evidence of mold.