DIY Bucket feeder spills, help!

[SamIamNam786]

I just bought a 6 pack of pvc ports to make a DIY feeder out of a bucket. When they put their heads in, extra crumbs fall out to create a mess. Please help!
I tried it with the ports put in properly, but now trying to decide if I need to put them upside down?

 

[Finnie]

They need to be like this:

Edit to add:
Those look like awfully small ports to me. Are they for chicks? Or bantams? I don’t know why they would be spilling.

 

[Finnie]

Adding more:

I’ve been sitting here looking at the photo I posted, and I think I see what might be the problem. My diy bucket feeders have pvc elbow pipes. The pipes go almost all the way to the bottom of the bucket. There is about an inch clearance. The chickens have to put their head in and stretch a ways downwards to reach the feed. This makes it harder for them to bill the feed out.

Your ports (and the ones in the photo I posted) look like they go straight in. No downward curve. That means the feed is right at the same level as the hole the chicken sticks it’s head into. I think that makes it easy for them to pull feed out. And maybe also easy for gravity, and the weight of the feed in the bucket, to push feed out through the port.

 

[Finnie]

Mine are more like this, and all that extra space is air, not full of feed.

Mine would have to pull the feed a long way up and out that curve in order to bill it out. I think that’s what makes the difference.

 

[SamIamNam786]

They need to be like this:
View attachment 3661102
Edit to add:
Those look like awfully small ports to me. Are they for chicks? Or bantams? I don’t know why they would be spilling.

These are standard from amazon. they were being used properly this week, I think it's the depth perception that's making you feel that way.

 

[SamIamNam786]

Mine are more like this, and all that extra space is air, not full of feed.View attachment 3661110
Mine would have to pull the feed a long way up and out that curve in order to bill it out. I think that’s what makes the difference.

I think I understand what you mean. I need a longer tube end to the feeder. These do come short. I ended up closing 1/2 the opening using duct tape and a piece of the circle I cut out of the bucket. The spillage is gone now!

 

[SamIamNam786]

This is the one I have. You can clearly see the opening from the outside.

 

[rehsanipoor]

I made a bucket like this with 3 inch 90 degree elbow that I got from home depot. The chickens have had it in there for a couple of weeks and I don't see them using it very much. I am worried that some of them cannot reach the feed. What lengths do people use?

 

[WormLady]

I just bought a 6 pack of pvc ports to make a DIY feeder out of a bucket. When they put their heads in, extra crumbs fall out to create a mess. Please help!
I tried it with the ports put in properly, but now trying to decide if I need to put them upside down?

I put mine in upside down. It works a lot better. There is still some spillage as chickens are good about flinging their food. I have dish pans a few inches wider and longer than the bucket. The spillage can be added back in the feed bucket periodically. I have very little waste now.

 

[rehsanipoor]

Normally I don't mind them spilling and like you add I it back to the bucket. Right now I'm more concerned about all the wild birds coming to eat and hang around the run. I've been told they can expose them to potentially dangerous diseases. I'm hoping if there is less spilled mess they will move on to other places where they can feed.