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

[blackdog043]

I just made another tonight using a Plastic Folgers coffee container and 2” elbows for my quail. By far my favorite feeders.

I made a 2 gallon bucket with 2" elbows for my brooder. I introduce it at 2 weeks, so the chicks get used to using the elbows.

I use L brackets to secure my elbows. I use one bracket per elbow, for the chick feeder and two brackets for the bigger 3" elbows.

 

[jp_over]

I've made 2 of these buckets and they're excellent!

However, I've had a bit of trouble with mold and bugs in the feed. Any suggestions or help? On the mold issue, we've had a bit of rain in the past few days so this could be the problem. Also, on the bug issue (small brown bugs - perhaps granary weevils?) this occurred with dry weather. I'm thinking about adding some food grade diatomaceous earth near the elbows.

1 feeder is sealed (caulk around 3 elbows) and 1 feeder is not (2 elbows). Both feeders are outdoors with a screw on type food grade lid but not otherwise covered.

Of note, this is only my 1st year with chickens and I'm still learning so thanks for any suggestions!

 

[aart]

However, I've had a bit of trouble with mold and bugs in the feed. Any suggestions or help? On the mold issue, we've had a bit of rain in the past few days so this could be the problem. Also, on the bug issue (small brown bugs - perhaps granary weevils?) this occurred with dry weather. I'm thinking about adding some food grade diatomaceous earth near the elbows.

1 feeder is sealed (caulk around 3 elbows) and 1 feeder is not (2 elbows). Both feeders are outdoors with a screw on type food grade lid but not otherwise covered.

This is a problem with bulk feeders, if they get wet it ruins a lot of feed.
Keep them out of the weather.

Bugs, not sure that DE will take care of that...
....or if it's even an issue, extra protein...unless there are a ton of them.

 

[jp_over]

Thanks aart - I'll try to get them under some shelter.

 

[Jamity46]

First off thanks to JetDog who I first saw posted about this incredible feeder. I've been using it for the past couple months and I will NEVER EVER go back to any other kind of feeder!

I started out with the basic red/white plastic feeder that all the feed stores sell............ the chickens wasted more food than they ate so I knew I had to figure out something else.



I then made a PVC tube feeder, but it only held a few pounds of food and seemed to need to be refilled all the time..... and I only have 5 chickens



So then I read about the 5 gallon bucket feeder from Jetdog.................... And I've never turned back!

This thing is SOOO easy to make and it will hold 25 lbs of pellet food!!!

First thing you need is a 5 gallon bucket. You can purchase one at one of the home improvement stores, or if you want to save a few bucks like me you can get a used pickle bucket from your local fast food restaurant for free, or even try your local bakery for a 5 gallon frosting bucket.

Next you need 3" pvc elbow (about $3 at Lowes) and a 3-1/2" hole saw (you can get the hole saw cheap at Harbor Freight).

Cut the end of the elbow off at the red line (see pic below) and then figure out where the hole in the bucket should be so that when you stick the CUT END into the bucket it's about 3/4" off the bottom. Silicone or pvc cement around inside and out, put the top on the bucket and you're set!

I also added an "extension" to the end of the elbow that the chickens stick their heads in to get the food to make the hole a bit smaller and also so that they have to go farther in. This TOTALLY eliminated ALL spilled pellets! The "extension" adds about 1" deeper they need to go. See pictures below.

I put the bucket on a few patio bricks to bring it up to about chest height on my chickens.

My bucket only has 1 elbow but you could probably add up to 3 if you wanted to feed around the entire bucket.






You can see the extension (3" PVC pipe that I added to the elbow in the picture below)



Here is a picture of the bucket in my coop via my coop web cam.



Picture from inside the bucket


Here is the finished product sitting next to my 5 gallon heated water for the winter. There's a link in my signature below for instructions on the waterer.


Another BYC friend of mine (LoneOak) suggested using a "Street Elbow" - I think his idea might work better. -
I used a street elbow in mine which has two different kinds of ends. I cut off the hub end and inserted the spigot end into the bucket. Then I cleaned up the hub end and put it over the spigot end (with the elbow still attached) and pushed it tight against the bucket. The hub fits securely over the spigot holding it all together without any fasteners or glue.


Once you make and use this type of feeder you will NEVER use anything else again!!!!!!!!!!

I’m so sorry if this has been answered but tried scrolling to see if i could find the answer but with over a thousand posts I gave up. Does this help keep critters away? We have either mice/rat (trying to get rid of them but still keep popping up). I bought pest proof hanging feeders but the varmints are still hanging around. I just don’t want to make and fill this to give them a smorgasbord of food.

Thanks!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

PLEEEEEEEEASE make this into an article so we can find it!!!!!

Please please PLEASE somebody!!!!

The bottom of the PVC elbows should be at least an inch above the bottom of the bucket on the inside to allow proper flow of both pellets and crumble. You will probably need to brace them with something while the glue or silicone dries.

To teach your birds to use it, for the first couple of days, fill the elbows with feed from the outside so they are nearly full. After that they should easily look for feed at the bottom of the ebows. I love this feeder, my dog can no longer help herself to the chicken feed. I'm saving a small fortune on feed and my dog has lost weight!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Here is my version. It is ugly but it works. I think what I used are called street elbows. They have like a flange on one end and are smooth or flat on the other. Sorry but I am not a plumber. I got four of these in a five-gallon bucket.

I don't seem to have a problem with mice or rats, but that might be because I have a pretty good mouser. I think this would certainly help anyway, because the chickens can't bill feed out of it, so varmints won't be attracted.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Ps, mine does have a lid and I put a traffic cone ($8 at Home Depot) on top so they can't roost and poop on it.

 

[Jamity46]

Great idea with traffic cone! I will try to make this over the weekend!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Post pics!

Edit: changed puxs to pics. Good grief.