Simple PVC Feeder (PICS)

[jimmywalt]

Very nice. Thank you!

 

[appps]

Built two of these today and had decided to try and find a double y so good to hear there is such a thing. Looking forward to photos when you update.

I had slightly different fitting and ended up having to add a little 22deg extension piece to the opening because they were scrapping the food out onto the floor.

 

[AtHomeOnThRange]

I just read "Keeping Chickens" by Jeremy Hobson, and they indicated that you should only feed twice a day or you'll end up with obese chickens.

So many people use feeders like this one, with food available all the time, that I think maybe Hobson's information is faulty.

So, do any of you have trouble with chickens not regulating their own feed, and eating themselves silly?

 

[ShelterFarm]

I fill the feeder in the morning and then they empty it by early afternoon. In the evening they get table scraps as a snack.

 

[appps]

No, though maybe breed has something to do with it.
My banties seem to spend very little time at it.

My 14wk old favorelles never seem to stop eating. Though I do vaguely remember the bantams eating more when they were younger too.

That said, you often see worlds fattest cat or dog, not sure there is a worlds fattest chicken so maybe they are smart enough to know when to stop lol

Or they are like other birds such as cage birds who have constant food but just eat when needed

 

[AdamsFamilyFarm]

Could you put another opening right above that so that two chickens could eat at a time? If not, do your chickens every fight over eating time? I have 16 chicks who all seem to eat at the same time (at a typical feeder), and I wouldn't want them fighting each other. (I'm a brand new chicken owner, so I have no idea what I'm talking about )

 

[appps]

I ended up doing this

(Oh and the spilt feed you see was from me not them when I changed the end)

I have four in that pen and they do fine with it, occasionally first thing in the morning they have two heads in one hole. They are still young though but suspect as the two heads no longer fit they won't be quite as starving first thing either.

I did think about even adding a third above and you could but having bantams and 14 week olds none are big enough to reach so waiting till the young ones finish growing to see how tall they end up to see if its an option.

For 16 birds tough you would need at least 4-5 of these double ones I'd think.

 

[AtHomeOnThRange]

I fill the feeder in the morning and then they empty it by early afternoon. In the evening they get table scraps as a snack.

No, though maybe breed has something to do with it.
My banties seem to spend very little time at it.

My 14wk old favorelles never seem to stop eating. Though I do vaguely remember the bantams eating more when they were younger too.

That said, you often see worlds fattest cat or dog, not sure there is a worlds fattest chicken so maybe they are smart enough to know when to stop lol

Or they are like other birds such as cage birds who have constant food but just eat when needed

Thank you both for your replies, I have since skimmed over the rest of the book, snorted in derision, and returned it to the store for a refund. The authors are chicken breeders - breeders of pure breed birds, and much of their information about egg-laying etc is woefully inadequate. They did provide pictures of pure breed birds, but, imho, the book was not worth the $17.75 it cost me.

So, I'll keep on with my plan to put a pvc automatic feeder in my coop. Thanks again!

 

[bj taylor]

I like the looks of this feeder a lot. looks easy to make & wouldn't cost much. the best combination

 

[CityCraft]

ShelterFarm, I made an exact replica of yours and had a big problem with the chickens wasting the feed by knocking it out of the feeder.

Appps, I'm going to change my design to mimic your design. I think the chickens need a trough-like design that prevents them from being able to knock the feed out with their heads.