Patent ID: 8291861

Claim:
An animal feeder comprising: a feed reservoir comprising a flexible bag having a cavity for holding a liquid feed material; and a feed dispensing assembly coupled to the feed reservoir, the feed dispensing assembly including a check valve to allow selective access to the liquid feed material, the check valve inhibiting feed leakage from the feed reservoir during pressure fluctuations within the feed reservoir, the check valve being activated by the bird; wherein the check valve is a duckbill valve including at least two lip members that are tightly compressed against one another to inhibit feed leakage from the feed reservoir; wherein the at least two lip members are separated when the bird applies a force to the check valve, creating a gap between the at least two lip members to allow the liquid feed material to flow out of the feed reservoir; and wherein the flexible bag collapses as the liquid feed material flows out of the feed reservoir, and the duckbill valve creates a seal when the at least two lip members are tightly compressed against one another such that air is substantially inhibited from entering the feed reservoir.