Homemade Feeders and Waters

[Chicken Girl]

I have 70 meat chicks coming in like 2 days, any good ideas on BIG feeders and waters? I would like to make them for cheep with stuff i have around the house. feeders and stuff are like $25 a peace around here! I know you guys would have good ideas for cheeper. Thanks!!!


Chicken Girl

 

[galanie]

You can take ice trays and attach them to boards so they can't tip them over for chick feeders. I sometimes use a pot plant dish with a rock in the middle for a feeder too. For water, anything they can't tip over that's high enough that they won't kick dirt into will do. I've even used a large Tupperware bowl for older chicks that are able to reach it easily.

 

[Chemguy]

Mant good ideas for home-made feeders can be found here on the site. https://www.backyardchickens.com/chicken-coop-water-feeder.html

Hope this helps!

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

Nipple drinkers are an economical, practical , and very good performing method of watering meat chickens. Five nipples would water your flock of 70.

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

duplicate

 

[CarolynF]

Here's a good, cheap feeder link. Mine is very similar. If you have a WalMart with a bakery nearby you can ask them for 5 gallon buckets. (They get their cake icing in them) Sometimes they're free, sometimes $1. They're definitely food grade, and they smell nice, too.

You can use the same design for waterers, just drill much smaller holes and make sure the lids fit tight to create the necessary vacuum. But with the cost of the tray(s) I think it's cheaper, cleaner, and easier to use nipple waterers. You can see mine on my BYCpage (click Watering System link near the top of that page). And listen to Neil regarding installation!