Show Me Your Feeders!!

[LoneOak]

The red hub end fits tight on the blue spigot end and holds the whole thing together without having to use any kind of glue or mechanical fastener. If you cut the hole in your bucket precisely the whole thing will be tight and won't move. I guess you could say that the hub pushes the bucket material tight on the curve of the spigot and holds it. Dang it Jimmy I don't know how else to explain it, just do it and see what results you get. If it doesn't work to your liking you can always take it apart and reuse some of the pieces, you would catch heck doing that if you had of glued it on.

 

[jimmywalt]

The red hub end fits tight on the blue spigot end and holds the whole thing together without having to use any kind of glue or mechanical fastener. If you cut the hole in your bucket precisely the whole thing will be tight and won't move. I guess you could say that the hub pushes the bucket material tight on the curve of the spigot and holds it. Dang it Jimmy I don't know how else to explain it, just do it and see what results you get. If it doesn't work to your liking you can always take it apart and reuse some of the pieces, you would catch heck doing that if you had of glued it on.

Thank you!!!!!

I'll give it a shot!!! I'm not trying to upset you. Thanks for all your help in all these threads!!!!

 

[yogifink]

So I gave it a shot, and mocked one of these up this weekend. Looks great.....but.....

I couldn't find the 3 inch street elbow that is mentioned, so I ended up buying a 3 inch street elbow from the drainage section of the plumbing department. So, my elbow is black in color.

I used a 3 and 5/8 inch hole saw (what I had), which gave the correct sized hole for the street elbow. (with a bit of play room)

The above would have worked great, if, I had the right street elbow. The one I bought did not have those little flanges on it, and when I put the hub end over the spigot end, there was a fair bit of play. Nothing a bit of silicon couldn't handle tho.

And finally, and here is where I need some help.... I can't get the stupid chickens to eat out of the darn thing. I removed their old feeder. Filled this one and placed it in the same spot. The bucket is hung from its handle so that the bottom of the holes are just below the chooks backs. I stuck each of their ends into the holes. I tried to entice them with some peanut butter, put a little trail from the opening to the feed. - they ate the peanut butter... but wont touch the food. Set the bucket out saturday afternoon, replaced with the old feeder sunday night right before dusk, and there was a feeding frenzy, that had obviously not ate from the new contraption. (I watch them at night for a bit when they eat before bed, and they were not eating, so I replaced with the old feeder)

 

[Ackerbau]

All these feeders are a great idea, but I just throw a scoop in their yard and let them scratch for it. It's what they do all day anyway.

 

[LoneOak]

yogifink, your feeder really should not be hung up but sitting solidly on some blocks or something. They probably don't want to stick their heads in it if its moving around while they are trying to get food out of the bucket. Just sit it solidly on whatever you have and be patient, the birds will not starve themselves if there is food available. They will get the hang of it real soon, you yourself have to be patient as well.

 

[jetdog]

Place a little food on the edges so they can see it and they will use it, it should be stable.

 

[yogifink]

Did that. And they didn't mind stickin their heads in there for the peanut butter. I'll stick a few bricks under it tomorrow when I get home from work to keep it from swinging around. I will be more patient, and we'll just wait and see.

 

[jetdog]

Sounds good trust me they will use it they won't starve themselves.

 

[jimmywalt]

yogifink, your feeder really should not be hung up but sitting solidly on some blocks or something. They probably don't want to stick their heads in it if its moving around while they are trying to get food out of the bucket. Just sit it solidly on whatever you have and be patient, the birds will not starve themselves if there is food available. They will get the hang of it real soon, you yourself have to be patient as well.

I was going to say the same thing.... Don't hang it, it will move and scare them. I have mine sitting on 4 patio bricks to bring it up to chest height. I put some food right on the elbow where they put their heads in and just a few just below on the floor. They figured it out in no time.

This is the best feeder PERIOD!!!!!!!!! No waste, no poop in the food, holds 25 lbs so doesn't need to be fill often, and CHEAP to build!!!

You can see it in the picture below on the right, next to my heated bucket watereer. I'm all set for winter!!!!!!!!

 

[yogifink]

So I was thinking, I like to see how much food is in the feeder at a simple glance and its hard to tell in this new waste free feeder. So I made a few windows in my bucket this morning.

Found an old plastic bin in the garage and cut out a rectangle shaped piece. Used the hole saw and put two holes in the bucket. Added a few dabs of silicon to the plastic and a couple of rivets to fasten the plastic to the inside of the feeder.