Building chicken feeders?

[LoneOak]

When making one of the bucket feeders with the PVC elbow near the bottom maybe the best elbow to use is a 4' 90deg street elbow drain pipe that looks real similar to this,

The one in the picture is schedule 40 pvc and only a 45 degree elbow but the most important part are the two ends anyway, but you have to use the 90 deg ell. The small end is called the spigot end and the large end is the hub. For the elbow to put in the bucket feeder make your first cut at a 90 degree angle to the spigot end so when you put the spigot in the bucket it rest about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the bottom. I had a hard time trying to figure out how to do this cut but I finally took a framing square and laid it across the spigot end and moved it till it positioned correctly on where to cut the elbow, I then held the square in place and used it to guide the saw for the first cut. (I need someone to come video it for me so I could post the video). Next I cut the hub end off the scrap piece I removed with the first cut, I cut it just at the end of the bevel that is on it.

Using the first piece with the spigot end I marked and cut my bucket (I used a cat litter bucket with square sides), then interested the spigot from the inside until the flange stopped it from going any more. Finally take the hub end you cut off and press it over the spigot end outside of the bucket.

If you made your cuts straight and smooth and cut your circle out of the bucket nicely the hub will tighten up on the spigot and keep it all in place without using and glue or fasteners of any kind. If you goofed it up you can still take it apart and modify it or make adjustments until you get it the way you want. When you buy the elbow at the home improvement store it will be with the light weight drain pipe PVC and mine was less than $5. it is called a "90degree street elbow hub & spigot". I got the bucket for free when I bought cat litter and the elbow was less than $5 so I've got a feeder that will hold probably 20 to 25 lbs of feed for 5 bucks plus labor. Its already in the coop being used but if I get a chance I'll take it out and try to get a few pictures to show you in the next couple days.

 

[jimmywalt]

Post #2 of this thread shows how to make this EXTREMELY easy with a 3" hole saw (maybe it's a bit larger).

All you need to do is cut the 90 degree elbow where the red line is in the picture attached. Then sit it outside your bucket the way it would lay once inside and mark a line on the bucket where it would touch on the side.......... add 1/2" to 3/4" up from where you marked the line and cut with your hole saw. If the hole isn't large enough take a razor blade and make it a touch larger.

Easy as pie to do! Holds about 20# to 25# of feed!!!!!!!!!!!

No more wasted feed!!!!

 

[LoneOak]

If your using the street elbow it is too long to cut where you have the red line in your pic. It would be so deep that the birds couldn't reach the feed. That is why it has to be cut higher up and trying to figure out how to get the cut at 90 degrees to the end of the socket is what was difficult. To get the right length it has to be cut in the middle of the angle section. If you can figure that out and get the cut at the right depth at a 90 to the end it is jam up.

Now that is have been using mine for a few days and the birds seem to really like it, I believe that I cut it a little short and need to cut another elbow but about an inch longer. Some of the birds rake feed out when they eat and some don't. If the inside opening in the ell was a little deeper none of them could rake feed out, at least their not making a mess under it and leaving a bunch of feed. With 25 birds in the pen someone is going to eat the few pieces on the ground.

 

[jimmywalt]

If your using the street elbow it is too long to cut where you have the red line in your pic. It would be so deep that the birds couldn't reach the feed. That is why it has to be cut higher up and trying to figure out how to get the cut at 90 degrees to the end of the socket is what was difficult. To get the right length it has to be cut in the middle of the angle section. If you can figure that out and get the cut at the right depth at a 90 to the end it is jam up.

Now that is have been using mine for a few days and the birds seem to really like it, I believe that I cut it a little short and need to cut another elbow but about an inch longer. Some of the birds rake feed out when they eat and some don't. If the inside opening in the ell was a little deeper none of them could rake feed out, at least their not making a mess under it and leaving a bunch of feed. With 25 birds in the pen someone is going to eat the few pieces on the ground.

Not sure if you are referring to my comment or not.

You stated a "street elbow". I don't know if that's what you call mine. I call it a 90 degree 3" elbow.

Yes I cut RIGHT ON THE RED LINE that I drew on the piece for the picture. The CUT end goes in the bucket and is perfectly horizontal to the bottom of the bucket (about 3/4" to 1" off the bottom). It works perfect that way. My hens also were taking out a little food sometimes so I added a short 3" piece of PVC pipe to the part sticking out of the bucket (where they put their heads in). I think I added another 3/4" in that they have to go in. Doing this has TOTALLY eliminated any wasted feed.

 

[LoneOak]

No Jimmywalt, your ellbow is a standard ellbow. A street ell has different ends on it, a hub on one end and a socket on the other end, your standard ell has a hub on both ends. That is what I was trying to explain that they are different and because of that you have to cut them different. Go back to the picture I posted and you will see the different ends on the ell I posted a pic of. If you cut the hub end off it will fit over the socket end and secure the entire thing in the bucket with no glue or connectors. I also used a 4" ell that is a little bigger all over as well as being longer. My big ole Rhode Island Reds don't like sticking their heads in little holes.

I hope that this weekend I'll have time to get it out of the coop and take some pics so I can show you how it works. It sure is nice to have a 20 lb feeder for less than $5 and just a little work.

 

[bernaboo111]

I think I am going to try the pvc idea.

 

[LoneOak]

Whoops, my bad! I used the wrong terms for the ends of the street Elbow in my last post, Pardon Me!

The big end is called the hub end and the small end is a spigot end (not socket). If you cut the hub end off it will fit snugly over the spigot end holding everything in place with no fasteners. I like doing it like this because if you goof up you can take it all apart and reuse the parts once you have modified your design.

 

[amandarc]

No Jimmywalt, your ellbow is a standard ellbow.  A street ell has different ends on it, a hub on one end and a socket on the other end, your standard ell has a hub on both ends.  That is what I was trying to explain that they are different and because of that you have to cut them different.  Go back to the picture I posted and you will see the different ends on the ell I posted a pic of.  If you cut the hub end off it will fit over the socket end and secure the entire thing in the bucket with no glue or connectors.  I also used a 4" ell that is a little bigger all over as well as being longer.  My big ole Rhode Island Reds don't like sticking their heads in little holes.

I hope that this weekend I'll have time to get it out of the coop and take some pics so I can show you how it works.  It sure is nice to have a 20 lb feeder for less than $5 and just a little work.

if you use a 4", does that mean you would need a 4.5" hole saw to cut the bucket?

 

[amandarc]

Whoops, my bad!  I used the wrong terms for the ends of the street Elbow in my last post, Pardon Me!

The big end is called the hub end and the small end is a spigot end (not socket).  If you cut the hub end off it will fit snugly over the spigot end holding everything in place with no fasteners.  I like doing it like this because if you goof up you can take it all apart and reuse the parts once you have modified your design.

did you ever put up pics of your 4" elbow design? I'm trying to make one today and I would love to see it. Thanks.

 

[LoneOak]

if you use a 4", does that mean you would need a 4.5" hole saw to cut the bucket?

I didn't use a hole saw to cut mine, I marked it with a marker and slowly cut the bucket with a razor knife.