• Last updated 7/23/12 by Gallo del Cielo

Building a Treadle Feeder I like wild birds.  I used to feed them on purpose, but now that I have chickens the wild birds have become a cost and potential risk.  The wild birds were eating more of my chicken feed than were the chickens.  I dealt with the doves with a shade cloth curtain over the chickens' door but the little sparrows were undeterred.  They wormed their way straight through the layers of cloth and get inside.  Then I worried about all the pests and pathogens vectored by the little beasts.  I reduced the risk by feeding outside where they free-range,... read more

• Last updated 12/17/10 by GardeNerd

My 5 minute Homemade Chicken Feeder Made from recycled and re-purposed items     If you have looked at the other BYC pages or my blog, you will see that I am big into reusing stuff I have around the house or garage or anything I can recycle whenever it is practical.  This is my chicken feeder that took less than five minutes to throw together.      Items used: Empty White Distilled Vinegar Jug - 1 gallon size Round take out food container/ bottom half (from a big salad at costco my mother had) About two inches deep. Knife Discarded chain for hanging a... read more

• Last updated 12/7/10 by support

From Message Board member Kent in WA: "You can make free waterers and feeders for about $4. Check at your local grocery store. If they have a deli or bakery then ask for their buckets. My local Albertsons has all the free buckets you'll ever need. I've picked up a couple dozen 2.5 - 5 gallon buckets. Buy a 20 inch plastic planter base ($4) and drill 1" holes all the way around the base of the bucket. Bolt the planter base... read more

• Last updated 12/10/12 by Nifty-Chicken

Submitted by John Riddell. A chicken can open it herself by stepping on the platform.   "When she stands on the platform the door opens. It means pests can't get to the food, so less wastage. She took about three weeks to learn to use it."       read more

• Last updated 12/7/10 by support

HomeMade Chicken Feeder When I first built my coop I threw together a heap of junk and made a super ugly but incredibly functional - space saving chicken feeder.  You can see it (in all it's hideous glory) here: FrankenFeeder!  The feeder functioned great for a few years, but it got to the point (especially after the addition of a few more chickens and ducks) that I was filling this narrow feeder way too often.   I believe the FrankenFeeder held about 1/3 of a bag of feed.  I was looking for something that could hold at least a whole bag of... read more

• Last updated 10/12/10 by sashurlow

So I'm making this page to enter into the feeder contest but I did not come up with the idea.  It came from the following post along with many other PVC feeder ideas.  The feeder is simply a 4 inch PVC pipe with a 90 degree angle piece, and a cap on either end.  Add a couple screws to hold the pieces together.  A note about the screws... Add them to the bottom side.  They will poke through and poke you if you reach inside.    The feeder is incredible simple.  I once thought the food did not flow into the bottom very well, but sinse I posted that, I have had zero... read more

• Last updated 10/11/10 by chikeemomma25

The Fang Dangled Automatic Chicken Waterer.... After seeing all of the ideas on here I decided it was time to do something about our watering system. Previously it was a bucket with holes and an oil pan under it. I have seen some awesome ideas on how to make this better but I wanted something really cool and really easy and not really messy.... And it was born....   Supplies:   5 gallon bucket with a lid ($1 at the local bakery) 10 ft section of 3/4" pipe (we had it, but I know it doesn't cost much a few bucks at the most) 1   3/4" elbow... read more

• Last updated 10/2/10 by Harleena

Laundry Bucket Waterer   We've been using this waterer for a few months now, and I love that the water stays clean!   Materials used: laundry soap bucket with lid [recycled] nipple waterers from FarmTek.com [$2 each, plus shipping] PVC pipe & fittings & glue [$5?] rubber washers & silicone sealant bricks & some wire   First, I drilled a hole in the bottom of the bucket for the PVC fitting. The threaded end gets a washer on it and then goes inside the bucket (washer not pictured).   The other end inside gets a washer and another fitting screwed on. I... read more

• Last updated 9/12/10 by jeb251

                       my simple $5, 5 minuet feeder             Hi all, I made the first one of theese about two years ago, now I have about ten of them of different sizes, they are so easy to make and they work great I take a piece of three or four inch pvc pipe what ever length I need or that will fit in the space IO intend to put it and cut about a two inch notch out of the end   a closer shot of the notch     then I put two screws in the pipe with the notch facing forward through the 5 inch sewer cap to hold the whole thing together     a... read more

• Last updated 9/11/10 by grandfatherjwv

  To make the item discribed below an automatic feeder, just remove collection cup after construction. This will feed your chickens directly by allowing the larvae drop to the ground.   Grandfatherjwv's Black Soldier Fly Larvae Operation for under $5.00. 1. Can buy bucket with lid for under $5.00 at Home Depot. 2. Find or make a small strip of plastic, metal, or wood approximately 1/4" x 1" x 10" long. 3. Find 2 to 3 foot of bailing wire. 4. Cut top off a 2 liter soft drink bottle. 5. Cut the lid as shown. (the upper horizontal hole allows adult female black... read more