BackYard Chickens › Coop Designs › Do It Yourself Chicken Feeder

Do It Yourself Chicken Feeder

dnichols
By: dnichols
Posted 6/10/10 • Last updated 6/10/10 • 23013 views • 9 comments

As a new chicken owner I realized that once my chickens (6 Araucanas) were outside and growing faster than ever I would have to fill their old chicken feeder daily. Which is OK, but I didn't have the time.

I found that most commercial feeders at the store cost around $30. I wanted to see if I could build my own for less than that.

So I went to Wal-Mart. :)

I went to Wal-Mart and bought a 5 gallon bucket and two lids.

I bought one five gallon plastic bucket and two lids.

 

I then drilled a series of holes around the bottom of the bucket.

I then drilled a series of wholes around the bottom.

I then placed some spare wood that I had on the bucket. The wood is about 1" thick.

I then placed some spare plywood that I had on the bucket. The layer of wood is about 1" think.

I then screwed the extra lid to the bottom of the bucket.

I then screwed the lid to the bottom of the bucket through the plywood.

This shows you a side view of the layers.

This shows you how the layers look.

This shows you the new feeder and the old feeder.

This is the finished "DIY" feeder and the old feeder I had in the brooder box. The waterer in the back is a 1 gallon waterer.

I then filled the bucket with feed and left it for the chickens. I think a 5 gallon bucket will hold about 25lbs of feed.

When it's all assembled it holds about 25lbs of chicken feed which lasts my six chickens about three weeks. I do have to come out and shake it occasionally, but I'm out there with them anyway so it's not really a problem.

 

All I had to buy were the two lids and the bucket. I got them from the painting supply section of Wal-Mart.

I had the left-over plywood from another house project.

The total cost of this project was about $7.50.

Comments (9)

jobeth3 3/28/12 at 9:16am
great idea...thank you for posting!
clarmee 4/22/12 at 8:46pm
I think I'll do this. Thanks!!
danny swanger 4/27/12 at 8:59am
Great idia,I beleave I will have to try this myself !!
Buckhunter76 5/5/12 at 1:56pm
perfect, thanks for saving me money, lol, heck of an idea
Maisah 5/12/12 at 7:26pm
I will head out tomorrow to Walmart
emberspapa 5/25/12 at 2:15am
Thank you.......my chicks are 4 months old now,,,,and I will need a larger feeder...love your idea..I think it's great!
questions543 6/16/12 at 12:15pm
does it spill alot?
cromschickens 6/29/12 at 6:12am
I did something similar, I drilled holes in the side of a 5 gallon bucket near the bottom. Then I put a funnel narrow end up in the bottom of the bucket. The whole bucket sits on a couple of 2x4's in a galvanized pan which sits on a couple of 4x4's to keep woodchips out of it. I too have to give it a good shake once in a while but not very often. I only feed this way in the winter months and I think it works great.
gratch73a 8/5/12 at 10:08am
How do you keep the food from getting wet when it rains?
BackYard Chickens › Coop Designs › Do It Yourself Chicken Feeder