Can I free choice feed/feeder suggestions

[The ChickInn egg supply]

Hey all, I am thinking of updating my 2 regular sized galvanized feeders for a large 30-50 lb barrel/garbage bin feeder with 3” pvc elbows going in. Does anyone have experience with this type? I’ve seen some YouTube videos on them. My flock is for egg laying and I have 40+ hens. If I just kept the barrel full would they overeat? Thanks!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'll let others answer regarding the elbow and bucket style feeders - I've not used them in the past.

As to over-eating? CornishX are the only "breed" of chicken famed for eating themselves into oblivion. For the brief period when I used 4" PVC "J" style feeders (I still keep them around for extended absences, but have some complaints with them) my CX would spend the whole day right next to them, except for brief walks to get water. The rest of the flock would eat some, leave, forage in my acres, wander back, eat some more, repeat, repeat, repeat.

Ad libitum/free feeding is, in fact, a very popular management method for many backyard keepers - as long as you have good quantity feed, and don't have fast growth broilers like the CX - I would not anticipate problems.

 

[Weeg]

I use a feeder very similar to that and love it! Same idea, but its a 5 gallon bucket with lid, and 3 PVC feeder elbows. Works great! They don't spill nearly as much, and seemed to get the hang of it pretty quickly. My only complaint is that I have to shake the feeder every day or so to allow the feed to fall into the crevasses that the chickens carve out when eating. It doesn't fall down on its own. Maybe its just my feeder. Your feeder might work better since its larger, but that may be something to look out for.

 

[SueT]

Layer breeds won’t overeat given free choice. I feed my small flock of 1 dozen in big dog bowls and make sure they get all they want by putting more than they eat in a day, removing the extra at night.

 

[swamphiker]

I have a similar type of feeder, though I use a 5 gallon bucket since I have a small flop. Works great! My layer birds eat what they need when they want it and I waste a whole lot less feed.

 

[The ChickInn egg supply]

Awesome! I’m planning on using a large galvanized garbage can that I currently use to store feed with 4 elbows going in. Regarding the problem with having to shake the feeder, if I have problems with that I thought about putting an upside down funnel in the middle to help the feed get to the right place. Thanks for all the responses!

 

[Huntmaster]

I’m planning on using a large galvanized garbage can that I currently use to store feed

Might want to look into rubbermaid or some other material besides metal. Metal tends to sweat with weather changes and may cause problems with feed sticking or molding. I use metal garbage cans to store feed in also but keep feed in their waterproof bags to prevent problems. If that's only feeder used with that many birds might also want to have more elbows to let more eat at same time to limit struggles for feed. Or make 2 with smaller garbage cans.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Like Huntmaster, I am NOT a fan of galvanized cans. Actually, I'm likely less a fan of galvanized cans than huntmaster is. Its basically electroplated with zinc. Small amounts of zinc are good and necessary. Large amounts of zinc in your chicken's feed is not.

Also, any place the zinc isn't tends to rust - any welded spot, and drilled spot, and spot that's bent or crimped poorly. As result, I really don't like galvanized cans for outside use. and if you are storing it inside, why bother with the zinc treatment??? (answer - because rodents take longer to chew thru metal than plastic - but not much longer). If you don't have a rodent problem, use plastic. If you have a rodent problem, fix it. Then use plastic.

 

[DParker75089]

I was going to order a large plastic can like that as well as the elbow ports and make my own feeder until I happened across the "Little Giant" at a local feed store. It holds up to 60 lbs of feed and does a great job of keeping dirt (and worse) out of the feed. The only issue I had with it initially was it not effectively keeping the tray (that the birds eat from) full, but after I trimmed about 1" off the bottom of the funnel spout (where the feed drops out of the barrel into the feed access tray) it worked like a champ. I picked it up for $65 locally, which was a good buy once I factored in the cost of the ports, plastic can and other materials required for a do-it-yourself version, not to mention the time and effort saved.

 

[The ChickInn egg supply]

Wow! I have never heard that. My feed has always stayed dry and mold free. The feeder would be inside the coop, which is insulated. We do have another heavy duty plastic barrel with a lid lying around that I could use instead. And yes, I could probably do 5-6 elbows instead of 4. Also, that feeder looks great! Thanks for the suggestion! But i think that I will just
buy some elbows because I already have a barrel.