Show Me Your Feeders!!

[snhchick]

I'm planning to make the bucket feeder that has been shown in so many great posts. Right now I have an indoor feeder and the kids are still eating out of their chick feeder in the run. Will the bucket feeder be the best choice for an outdoor feeder when the weather gets bad? Should the chickens be forced to feed inside to eliminate the weather issue. At first, they would not go back into the coop to eat or drink. Should I try to train them to eat only inside the coop? Thanks.

 

[RonP]

Don't worry, when they hungry or thirsty, they will find the food and water. No need to train them.

I keep food and water available inside the coop for those days they don't care to venture out.

 

[daxigait]

I built one that works great for me, 5 gallon bucket with two 90degree elbows that are about a 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch off the bottom of the bucket, they have to stick their heads in to eat and can't fling the food out so it doesn't attract rodents and no wasted food it holds about a month's worth of food for me.

what size elbow and hole

 

[jetdog]

what size elbow and hole

I used a 3 inch elbow,traced around with sharpie and used my dremile tool to cut it out,a little at a time until the fit was tighta little caulking on the inside

 

[Vicki72]

Do you cap your feeders at night to keep critters and moisture out? I'm thinking of using a gravity style feeder like the ones shown here, but have concerns about night time. I've noticed that when I leave my current feeder in the run overnight all the feed left in it is clumpy from moisture. Thanks

 

[biteme2134]

Do you cap your feeders at night to keep critters and moisture out? I'm thinking of using a gravity style feeder like the ones shown here, but have concerns about night time.  I've noticed that when I leave my current feeder in the run overnight all the feed left in it is clumpy from moisture. Thanks

I keep mine in a covered area so it's never wet and it never has any moisture problems. It's inside my run too so no critters can get it... Except maybe bugs...

 

[daxigait]

@jetdogthanks

 

[Oglan]

Tried EVERYTHING then found this idea at BYC. This is PRICELESS. No waste. Cheap to build. 3" PVC and 3" Y. That's all there is to it! Just made a second one tonight because it works so well!

I made the same thing, works great, I have noticed a lot less waste, mabe due to no spillage so rodents and such cant get the feed.

 

[Vicki72]

I keep mine in a covered area so it's never wet and it never has any moisture problems. It's inside my run too so no critters can get it... Except maybe bugs...

Thanks for the reply

 

[kwhites634]

I made the same thing, works great, I have noticed a lot less waste, mabe due to no spillage so rodents and such cant get the feed.

I built mine off of Jimmy's idea as well, except I used 4" pipe & coupling, 'cause I screwed up! It totally eliminated the waste problem, but I had to cut 2-3" off the pipe to make an extension for the "Y", 'cause the birds were still able to flip feed out on the ground.
My feeder is outside, with the "Y" facing the center of the covered run. In 3 months of use, the feed's never gotten wet.

The only disadvantage to this feeder is that the top of it's over my head; I can't lift a full bag of feed that high any more. I could make the pipe shorter, but that would simply increase the frequency of filling it.