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

[RAnst4038]

Dang

Dang

Dang

I used the long radius street elbow instead of the short perfect 90* like chad-O showed!
That B-OTCH Rosa Klebb is shoveling as much out of this as the trough! And though there are 3 separate stations she only removes her hog head to peck anyone who tries to feed at the other two! Do not use any fitting that has any radius! Only the perfect 90 vent ell chad-O showed!

 

[Alaskan]

Anyone manage to get this to work with both bantams and large fowl?

Maybe easier to set up two separate stations?

 

[Alaskan]

Also, it looks like you'll are using different diameters, from 2.5" to 4", as well as slightly different angles.

Are some more apt to result in no waste than others?

Or, is the biggest point to follow "one inch from the bottom."?

 

[MeepBeep]

Anyone manage to get this to work with both bantams and large fowl?

Maybe easier to set up two separate stations?

Mine works with both bantams, regular sized chickens (adolescent and adult) and Guineas... I set the feeder on a ledge so that some of the feeders were closer to the ground for the bantams but even the full sized fowl use the lower feeders and the bantams stretch to the higher ones so I doubt it's necessary if it's set to a 'medium' height... I went from food all over the place to pretty much zero waste overnight... My Guineas were horrible they were tossing food everywhere, almost like it was a game, now that is over...

I used a larger plastic storage bin, and the 4" (aka 3.5") drainage street elbows cut down just like 'TheGeekySheep' did in post three, the cut end of the elbow hovers about 3/4" above the bottom of the bin I believe... I'll take some measurements and pictures later if I get a chance...

 

[jetdog]

Also, it looks like you'll are using different diameters, from 2.5" to 4", as well as slightly different angles.

Are some more apt to result in no waste than others?

Or, is the biggest point to follow "one inch from the bottom."?

The 3 inch has worked flawlessly for me, the one inch off the bottom I believe is more important as well as having it high enough so they have to stretch a little to get it.

 

[vehve]

Alaskan, I'd say that the biggest difference comes from the height difference between the lowest part of the opening that thy put their head through, and the highest point on the inside from which the feed pours into range for them. You should keep that distance as big as possible with your smallest bird.

 

[topdycke]

I don't have any feed spilled.   There is not one single kernal that spills out.

I have a single kitty litter bucket with 2 elbows.  I have 6 hens.  They never seem to be waiting for a spot.
For 40 hens, I would probably use 3 or 4 buckets and install 3 elbows in each bucket.


I LOVE this system.  I get zero waste and I only need to add feed about every 2 weeks.

have had it in place four months and not a grain billed out

 

[MonTXChickens]

I don't have any feed spilled. There is not one single kernal that spills out.

I have a single kitty litter bucket with 2 elbows. I have 6 hens. They never seem to be waiting for a spot.
For 40 hens, I would probably use 3 or 4 buckets and install 3 elbows in each bucket.


I LOVE this system. I get zero waste and I only need to add feed about every 2 weeks.

When you fill it up, how much does it take?

 

[MadAngler]

When you fill it up, how much does it take?

I'm not sure. I bought a standard bag of food. I think it was 50 pounds. I filled the bucket about 2 1/2 times.

 

[MonTXChickens]

I'm not sure. I bought a standard bag of food. I think it was 50 pounds. I filled the bucket about 2 1/2 times.

I'll have to find someone with cats and get an empty bucket. I think I'm going to make a trashcan size feeder for food in the big pen but am thinking this might work for oyster shells