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

[MeepBeep]

Yep.....or feed bag cut in strips over coop door, chickens can learn to go thru, hopefully other birds do not.

It might be effective to some degree, but I have to wonder how effective long term as I have a heavy duty vinyl strip door on my barn and it doesn't stop any birds, they figure it out in short...

 

[aart]

Quote: Ahh...have read it works pretty well....... now I have read that it doesn't always.

 

[Rural Broody]

Just picked up a few pieces of pvc to try my hand at a bucket feeder. Accidentally bought 2"... Sigh. Have to go back to the store.

 

[laur81soccer]

I used 2" and it works just fine even for my rooster.

 

[AllynTal]

I used 2" and it works just fine even for my rooster.

What kind of chickens do you have? I have 2-inchers in my feed bucket that I made for my chicks at about 4 weeks. They're 11 weeks now and 3-inchers are to small for my cockerels, though the pullets still use the 2-inchers.

 

[AlHawk]

I have Barred Rocks, EE and RIR. It took the RIR's a month before they'd stick their heads in that hole (4"). The BR's, even with large combs, don't seem to care about the size (they just see food). My little EE's are still wary of it but use it. They prefer the hanging feeder.

My rooster is RIR and I've seen him use it but not too much. He'd much prefer the hanger or the yard food.

 

[Goosegrrl]

I use 2" elbows... but I have only OEG Bantams, not dubbed.
I wouldn't use 2" for large fowl except as a chick feeder. 2.5 or 3 would probably be fine for med to large fowl with pea combs.
3" to 4" for any large fowl with straight combs. 4" only for any extra large fowl with straight combs, or med to large breeds with huge combs/wattles as a norm.

 

[athunt]

I tried the 4" pipe for my chickens. I have had quite a few problems. 3" I think would be perfect!

4" sitll only allows once chicken at a time. Takes up so much space you can't really fit more pipes on the same bucket. Maybe can get two in there but i haven't tried. Also i have had problems when the feed gets low/runs out my bantam chicken will get stuck in the feed and can't get out. It tries to get in the back of the feeder and the feet fall into the hole preventing it from being able to get back up.

 

[Rural Broody]

Ok! More great tips! Thanks!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Mine seemed scared of it so i took it out but i also still had the other feeder in there. They used the other. Is that normal? I figure if they're scared and since its not really natural anyways (being prey animals and not being able to see their surroundings) that I'd just not use it. I now use 2 bowls instead of one bowl and refill it every few days or once a week or whatever. But they still sometimes poo in it or spill stuff and I'd prefer the bucket feeder, they use a nipple waterer fine. But idk, maybe i spoil them too much