Best chicken feeder and waterer????

[Gearhead846]

I currently have an open dish for food, and a bowl for water but I would like to upgrade. and needed some new ideas for a feeder and a waterer for about 30 chickens I also have a HUGE sparrow problem (those darn things I can't seem to get rid of them )

What is your favorite feeder/waterer?
And ANY ideas and photos would be great!

Thanks

 

[Tobymartin601]

Any waterer that looks likethis with a lid and cap I highly reccomend. The last one I had lasted me ten years. It takes getting used to,but I strongly prefer it over ones where you fill it up from the bottom. Absolutely hate it when they spill everywhere.

 

[HomesteadDeb]

I made this one for my flock of 8. It could really use two more feeder ports, but I didn't want to invest in that many until I was sure the design was sound. It look them a little while to figure it out, even though they were accustomed to a tube feeder with a somewhat similar opening. It's the most waste-free feeder I've had, and I have no problems with birds or mice.

 

[Ais]

For water I have a couple 5 gallon food grade buckets.

 

[Ais]

I'd strongly recommend making nipple waterers as they keep clean which greatly reduces your risk of disease. It doesn't take long at all to teach one chicken to use it, and as soon as the other chickens see her using it, they follow. Just get one's attention and push the nipple so they see the water dripping out and voila!

 

[Sammster]

I made this one for my flock of 8. It could really use two more feeder ports, but I didn't want to invest in that many until I was sure the design was sound. It look them a little while to figure it out, even though they were accustomed to a tube feeder with a somewhat similar opening. It's the most waste-free feeder I've had, and I have no problems with birds or mice.

Good to know. I've ordered a feeder, similar in style. Hope I the girls transition to it, easily. I started them on a heated, nipple waterer, today. My bravest girl took to it, quickly. I think the rest will follow her lead

 

[TropicalBabies]

In looking for decent photos of my coop and run I realized I pretty much only have photos of cats anywho, take what ya need and leave the rest

 

[Ais]

Some pictures in normal and training modes

 

[HomesteadDeb]

I used a 50lb Vittles Vault dog food container because I use them to store my feed and knew it was heavy duty enough and could hold a whole bag of layer pellets, and bought these silicone feeder ports on Amazon. You could easily use a less expensive base for your feeder, like a standard 5 gallon bucket, or a plastic tote or trash bin, but I live in AZ and plastics degrade fast in the sun here. Same probably goes for y'all who live where it gets super cold. The beauty of these silicone ones is that unlike standard pvc tube feeder openings the silicone molds to the shape of the container so there is no gap, and I assume (I can't honestly say since my feeder is under a roof out of the weather) weatherproof.
The only thing I would change is that the little twist on caps that go over the ends of the screws on the inside are really difficult to thread with your hand stuck in a bucket working blind I would maybe try putting silicone caulk on the screw ends to help secure them if I did it again. Also, if you want to avoid having to buy the drill bit to make the holes, if you don't have one, you can buy the ports as a while kit that comes with the drill bits you need and everything.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07QTQKF3R?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image

@HomesteadDeb where could I purchase this feeder?

 

[TropicalBabies]

I have several feeders because of my decent sized (30- 40+) and varied age flock. I also have sparrow, dove and rice bird problems.

The little gallon distilled water bottles (for incubator) were my prototypes for my 5 gal water bottle. All still in heavy use after years and costing about $5 ea. I was gifted a grandpa's. Did not think I would like but I love it! Flock caught on to it quickly.. I don't have gravity problems with my crumble feed. I also have a

This being my least favorite but it works well. My feed bill was cut in half with the homemades. I suggest Henry's roofing caulk instead of silicone. Other than that they are all awesome.
For waters I only use the green as I am in a warm weather place, prone to algea and nothing holds up like the green to my heavy use- sun, scrub, bleach, repeat-