Homemade feeders and waterers. *pics please*

[Kate3017]

Hi all, I'm looking to save as much money as I can by making my own feeders and waterers for my flock. So far I've spent about $100 on building my coop, paint, and the purchase of my 16 chicks. I'm all about recycling but will buy supplies if needed.
Any ideas and information would be greatly appreciated. Pictures would be awesome as well.
Thanks everyone!

 

[MIKE555444]

Here is my feeder... consists of a $5 small trash

can and a $1 clothes basket.

 

[henless]

My feeders: Each one holds about 25 lbs of feed.






My waterer w/horizontal nipples: It lasts at least a week, but when it's hot I will change it more often to keep the water fresh.



My grit & oyster shell dispenser:



I used to put my grit in a bowl on the ground. They were always turning it over or burying it with deep litter.

 

[RonP]

I have 12 birds in a fully enclosed coop and 14x14 secured run.

Mind you, the flock spends their waking time, and eats, 90% outdoors, in their run.

Predator issues prevent free range activities.

I feed them fermented feed whenever possible...

I built this mostly for peace of mind, and as a backup to their outdoor fermented feed.



Three stations, 3" PVC pipes with Y fitting. Concrete 16" paver block for nail and beak maintenance. It is sitting on 2 8" cinder blocks, I use deep litter.




Middle station is for feed. Picture shows the reserve, a 5 gallon reused water bottle with the funnel, a cutoff of another 5 gallon water bottle for extra reserve. It will easily hold 50+ pounds. It probably will last well over 2 months. This reserve empties straight down into the middle feeder.



Above shows the 3 stations. Far left holds Grit, middle holds Feed, far right holds Crushed Oyster shells. Far left and right are capped. 2 foot pipe probably holds over a years supply of grit and oyster shell.



Another picture of the feed reserve, I'm pretty sure I put close to 40 pounds in there.
The reserve just sits in place, no nails or glue.
Everything can come apart easily if needed.

 

[debid]

I had to buy the nipples but they can turn any plastic beverage container into a waterer. I have one made from an upside-down juice bottle and another from an ice cream tub.

I'm working on a wall-mounted feeder made from scrap lumber for the chick pen. They may not use it for much longer but it could move to the big coop and hold the oyster shell. There are lots of designs out there made by creative folks if you search.

 

[Jvillechickens]

My husband built an indoor/outdoor waterer for our chicks and ducks. They learned to use it within a few hours and it's so much nicer and neater than the plastic gallon waterer from TSC we were using. No more water sprayed all around!!

He did a great job!!

 

[Kate3017]

My husband built an indoor/outdoor waterer for our chicks and ducks. They learned to use it within a few hours and it's so much nicer and neater than the plastic gallon waterer from TSC we were using. No more water sprayed all around!! He did a great job!!

That is very neat! Now, what about in the wintertime, I'm sure I'd have to use a heater to keep it from freezing. I'm in Ontario Canada and we get some nasty cold winters lol. I'm currently using a base I bought from the feed store that screws onto a mason jar, if I were to switch to the nipple system they will eventually catch on? Sorry about all the questions, this is my very first time raising chickens.

 

[Kate3017]

I had to buy the nipples but they can turn any plastic beverage container into a waterer. I have one made from an upside-down juice bottle and another from an ice cream tub.

I'm working on a wall-mounted feeder made from scrap lumber for the chick pen. They may not use it for much longer but it could move to the big coop and hold the oyster shell. There are lots of designs out there made by creative folks if you search.

This may be a stupid question but what are oyster shells? I mean I know what they are but what are they for? Is it a necessity for the chickens? Do I buy them from the feed store? What age do I give them to the chickens? Raising chicks is all new to me and I'm just learning.
Thanks so much.

 

[debid]

Yeah, they figure the nipples out. I had a batch of chicks that learned almost immediately and a batch that was fearful of the waterer at first but had warmed up to it within three days.

I have a five-gallon bucket in the coop and that's the only water offered in the winter. I drop a 250W deicer in. It's the kind meant for plastic and has a thermostat so it won't overheat the water or damage the bucket. It sits on the bottom pretty much right on top of the nipples and does a fine job for me.

 

[debid]

This may be a stupid question but what are oyster shells? I mean I know what they are but what are they for? Is it a necessity for the chickens? Do I buy them from the feed store? What age do I give them to the chickens? Raising chicks is all new to me and I'm just learning.
Thanks so much.

Laying hens need a lot of calcium. The shell is their calcium supplement while I feed a grower feed for my mixed-age flock. Layer feed has adequate calcium for layers but too much for juveniles so I only feed it if I have everyone in the coop laying. Otherwise, it's grower or all-flock feed with shell on the side. The non layers ignore the shell.