Make your own - No waste - 5 gallon (25# feed) bucket feeder for about $3

[COChix]

These are our feeders, the 5 gallon was in the covered run and the 15 gallon drum feeder was in our free range area. We had 29 birds at the time and the after hatching 42. The 5 gallon has 3 ports and the 15 g has 4. The 15 gallon holds 75# of feed the 5gallon 25#.

We didn't have any issues with chicks getting stuck but coukd see the idea of making these with smaller elbows say 2 inch. I think someone did that.

 

[KodaJ9397]

They don't throw the feed around or anything? I have this kind of a set up and they make a horrible mess out of it. I usually find a ton of feed when I clean the coop out by the feeder. I've been looking for a different idea might have to try out this bucket.

 

[ShrekDawg]

My dad is way overthinking this and making it so **** stressful. He wants to cut it off at the bend "so they can also reach it" and also thinks it needs to be glued in instead of just twisting together. Finally after a few minutes he agreed to try it my way (and the way literally everyone here does it....) but "once it's in it's in" somebody please explain

 

[ShrekDawg]

Turns out there was just a slight misunderstanding/he didn't explain it well and more meant like "square it off"/have it level instead of the weird curve with just cutting the thing off. And I also hadn't told him the heating it up thing. With that plan he agreed we didn't need glue. Hah anyhow, we agreed to try one each of the pipe cut, my way and his way, and see. Don't think it will matter much but gonna need 2 buckets eventually anyway. Here they are.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Hey @MeepBeep sorry for always tagging you but quick question.. we're going shopping for Easter if open so I was going to put the buckets in this morning but then i thought since were leaving i better not. I had so much confidence in this yesterday but now I was scared they wouldn't be able to reach it and wanted to be able to watch and be sure. It just seems like so far to stick their heads in..... although, they love to stick their heads through the holes in the chain link and try to reach food or dirt even the smallest ones so I suppose it's possible to reach it. But my 3 buff orps are my smallest pullets and when i did the waterer they had trouble reaching it when it was higher up so i lowered it. So I guess my question to you is this: you said you had all ages and species using the feeders with 4 inch pipe correct? Does this include young chicks or smaller adults? Mine are I think 21 or 22 weeks old but while my Australorps are huge, my buff orps are still tiny. One is getting bigger but they're the runtiest birds. Even the EEs are bigger and my Barred Rock is gaining on the Australorps lol so yeah, can a runty little Buff Orp who doesnt look 22 weeks reach???

 

[MeepBeep]

So I guess my question to you is this: you said you had all ages and species using the feeders with 4 inch pipe correct? Does this include young chicks or smaller adults?

Young adults but no longer young chicks in the general population, the chicks are housed in their own grow out pens until they are about 16 weeks old... My feeder works for my bantams that are about the size of say a 10 week old chicken I'm guessing all the way up to my adult peafowl...

The fact they have to stick their head in so deep is what prevents them from tossing food all over the place...

When I did have younger birds using it I put a brick under one of the outlets, the bigger birds could easily stretch over the brick and feed while the smaller ones could use the brick as a step to get closer...

 

[ShrekDawg]

Young adults but no longer young chicks in the general population, the chicks are housed in their own grow out pens until they are about 16 weeks old... My feeder works for my bantams that are about the size of say a 10 week old chicken I'm guessing all the way up to my adult peafowl...

The fact they have to stick their head in so deep is what prevents them from tossing food all over the place...

When I did have younger birds using it I put a brick under one of the outlets, the bigger birds could easily stretch over the brick and feed while the smaller ones could use the brick as a step to get closer...

Awesome! Thank you so much for the clarification! I never thought of the brick idea! Thought of it for water but never. Thought of it for food cause I guess I didn't think it would help with stretching their necks. But they stick their necks really far through the fence so probably can. I wasn't sure if you had said young chicks or bantams but either way, if little teeny bantams can reach it then I suppose mine can too!! I definitely like the idea of them not being able to fling food out! Seems like right now they are always either walking in it and filling with poop or knocking the second bowl over once it gets low enough. And I usually dump it when I refill it. Very annoying. I will have to try the feeder tomorrow or later today. They also have great sheds on sale at Lowes atm

 

[GirlFriday63]

How is this working to reduce feed waste? I had chickens about 3 years ago for 3 1/2 years. I'm getting chickens, again and this was one concern I had. I did raise their feeder off the ground with blocks and that helped somewhat. Thanks for your response.

 

[GirlFriday63]

Tell me about your chicken cam. Thanks!

 

[FlutterbyChicks]

How is this working to reduce feed waste? I had chickens about 3 years ago for 3 1/2 years. I'm getting chickens, again and this was one concern I had. I did raise their feeder off the ground with blocks and that helped somewhat. Thanks for your response.

I made one of these for my 6 hens, who eat pellet feed. There is ZERO waste for them. When they were younger, before making one of these, they would just make a huge mess and waste so much food. But I have no waste at all with this. They can't reach in to scratch out the food, but can stick their beaks in and eat with no problems. Hope that helps!