I love this idea! My chickens make such a mess using the little red and white feeders from the feed store. I only have four chickens. They free-range during the day, but I corral them in their run before dusk because of foxes. The run is only about 36 square feet, so there isn't much room for a five-gallon bucket.
I made my own version with a smaller bucket--it may be a gallon-and-a-half; the grocery store bakery gives away the buckets it gets the frosting in. My version is also flimsier than aart's. I used a gallon jug for the main/top part of the hopper, and a plastic root beet bottle to prop it up. Even if they collapse after a couple months, they were easy to cut and cheap to acquire for replacement.
I melted the cut sides of the access ports into the bucket. First I tried sanding, then using the Dremel, but neither one really made the cuts smooth. After holding a flame to them, the plastic is now nice and smooth to prevent irritation to the chickens' necks. (That's why there are scorch marks around the openings.)
It doesn't show in the pictures, but there is a lid for the bucket, too, so the chickens can't just go in from the top.
Two of the chickens figured it out quickly. Hunger pangs may have to set in before the other two relent.
Thank you for the great idea and instructions, aart!
I made my own version with a smaller bucket--it may be a gallon-and-a-half; the grocery store bakery gives away the buckets it gets the frosting in. My version is also flimsier than aart's. I used a gallon jug for the main/top part of the hopper, and a plastic root beet bottle to prop it up. Even if they collapse after a couple months, they were easy to cut and cheap to acquire for replacement.
I melted the cut sides of the access ports into the bucket. First I tried sanding, then using the Dremel, but neither one really made the cuts smooth. After holding a flame to them, the plastic is now nice and smooth to prevent irritation to the chickens' necks. (That's why there are scorch marks around the openings.)
It doesn't show in the pictures, but there is a lid for the bucket, too, so the chickens can't just go in from the top.
Two of the chickens figured it out quickly. Hunger pangs may have to set in before the other two relent.
Thank you for the great idea and instructions, aart!
