Chick feeders - No waste!

[locknest4]

Hi Henless, does the colour of the bucket make a difference to the algae build up? I will try to source a blue bucket but haven't seen any in the stores in Perth. Put the new elbow pvc bucket feeder in the pen yesterday and took out the open feeder they have been using the last week or so. A few of them used it but the majority didn't. By the end of the day there were allot of hungry chicks. I wonder if my holes are too small, too long, too high or if the chicks just got lazy using the other feeder??? I've put the old one back in as well as left the new one in brooder. Will keep monitoring them.

 

[henless]

I don't think it has to be blue, just a dark color. It cuts down the amount of sunlight to the water so inhibits the algae growth. I also have mine in the shade, which also helps.

How old are your chicks? I didn't get up to the 3" pvc until my chicks were 2 months or so. These were also English Orps, so are a bigger chicken than most. My 4 month olds are as big as my hatchery Australrops and Buff Orps. They are 1 1/2 yrs old.

 

[locknest4]

[/IMG][/IMG]The chicks are now 5 weeks old. I think the elbows were too deep for them. I made another today using a 50mm elbow and cutting quite a bit off both ends. They seem to like this better and can fit two heads in at the same time. I have a brick under the feeder to raise it a bit. Am getting a bit of saw dust kicked back into opening when they scratch as its a bit low. Once they get used to the idea of sticking their heads into a hole again I plan to raise the height, cause I definitely want them to be using the bucket feeders once they go into the coop.

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

Here is mine. It's the 100 extra cups Foldgers with 1 inch pvc elbows. They still use it and they are now 3 months old.

 

[locknest4]

Here is mine. It's the 100 extra cups Foldgers with 1 inch pvc elbows. They still use it and they are now 3 months old.

thanks for the picture! I have now added another 3 port bucket feeder and they are using it well

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

You're welcome. The Foldgers one is nice as there is no separate bucket to buy, although you may have caffeine jitters for a while if you are in a rush to use up the coffee.

Our chicks were really wasting a lot of feed.

As you probably already know, you will have to raise it from time to time. We now have it on a "stand" cut from the trunk of a tree. I am guessing the diameter is 12 to 14 inches and 2 or 3 inches in height.

Another issue is that the chicks started to knock it off its stand when they got bigger. For that I drilled a hole in the bottom and put a thin bolt through so it protrudes out the bottom. I then screw on a nut. I think I also used 2 washers. I then drilled a hole in the center of the stand and inserted the bolt into the stand.

 

[bigt447]

I have 2_similar feeders that I made. I hang them to keep them from being moved & put pointed big rocks on top to keep chickens off.

 

[locknest4]

Good idea! Thank you

 

[locknest4]

Another good idea! Will be on the look out for some pointy rocks as the top of the bucket appears to be prime roosting position. Thanks

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

Hanging it would also prevent it from being knocked over. Conceivably a coat hanger could be fashioned to work.