Easy self feeder for a small coop. (pics included) - Page 2

I made like a 3'x 2' rectangle out of 2x4s, cut a 2'x3' foot piece of plywood for the bottom.  Set a 50 gallon plastic garbage can on top, with a hole cut out of the bottom of the garbage can (hole near the edge).  I then put another 2' 2x4 in the 3'x2' rectangle, just before the hole in the can, as a divider.

111111111

1            1

1Garbage1

1    can   1

1            1

1            1

1_____   1

            - hole inbottom

__________

1          1   1

1______1_ 1

3x2 foot square box, with plywood bottom, with a 2x4 divider.  The garbage can sits on the top of the box.  Grain comes out the right side of the divider (under the hole) as the chickens eat it.  The left part of the box is only used to support the garbage can.  I have mine setting on a log, because the litter is deep.

The dimensions are not exact, just a guess.  Whatever works as to set a 50 gallon can on, with a divider (so the grain stays in the front).

coolcanoechic - that is low maintenance and Beautiful.  I got tired of my old tired looking one and got rid of the wood trough and use this now.

Can you post a picture of the exterior portion, please?  That's a pretty cool concept.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolcanoechic 

I only have a couple of birds right now, but when I built my coop, I incorporated this feeder inside the wall between the 2 x 4 verticals.  It fills from a little door on the outside of the coop.  It goes for a very, very long time before refills.  The tray is removable for ocasional cleaning.  I thought it might be fun to share a picture.

You have to be very careful using containers that you leave filled for a month (even less) with food If all that food is exposed to moisture  fungus and/or bacteria starts to grow. You will have a real problem.Find time to add fresh food on a regular basis (can't take the microbiologist out of the girl)

Nice ideas here.  Ive never thought of feeding a PVC pipe into a wooden hopper.  Brilliant.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avonlea22 

Can you post a picture of the exterior portion, please?  That's a pretty cool concept.
 

 

Sorry for the delay in replying.  I had lost track of this thread.  If you look at my coop page, you can see a small door in the wall just above and to the right of the poop deck.  a good sized scoop fits into it easily.  I have only had to add feed once since October.  I love this feeder.  It stays clean and the girls took to it immediately.

The door stays closed with magnets.  The kind you might use on your kitchen cabinets.
 

these are great ideas

Quote:

Originally Posted by queenchick16 

You have to be very careful using containers that you leave filled for a month (even less) with food If all that food is exposed to moisture  fungus and/or bacteria starts to grow. You will have a real problem.Find time to add fresh food on a regular basis (can't take the microbiologist out of the girl)

Because the feeder is located in an interior wall of the coop, it is never exposed to any kind of moisture from the outside and the food stays very dry.  However.....point taken!  I will be sure to keep a watchful eye on the feed for any sign of fungus or bacteria.

I like all these ideas but the PVC is my favorite  since im A what- if- the- sky- falls-  chicken- little- person... somehow i keep thinking they say if you get mites you have to  use the pesticide  on everything wooden  as they like to go in cracks so that makes me leery of the wooden feeders even though great idea

.Plus if you DID  somehow get the feed wet in wooden   wall. etc.....guh what a mess

So PVC seems the best in all areas and VERY  BEST  it takes up so little space. !!My tractors are 2 x4 x 2 so really VERY little space for feeders

I even saw one version that the pipe was on the outside wall and came in at the bottom  so  just the container is inside not even the pipe