DIY bucket feeeder - how to stop them eating the caulking?

[6of6chicks]

X2 !! They need it a little bit higher...

I already did!

I put another concrete block under so it's two blocks high now. They're only 9 weeks, so I worried about them having to stretch to far and not eat as a result. But they seem just fine with the new height.

I think I worry too much, lol!

 

[sheilclan]

I could not stop them from eating the caulking so I gave up. I was only using the caulking to stop a small amount of water from getting into the feed, my elbows are screwed into the bucket. I have 4 garbage cans with 8 elbows (32 feeding spots) each for a flock of 90 birds. It really cuts down on the labour. I fill the garbage cans up once a week. I have been using this successfully for over a year. The only issue that I have is spillage. One solution that I have seen is someone cutting an end cap and leaving a bit of a lip to prevent them from tossing the feed out. Unfortunately I can no longer add a cap so I wish I would have seen this at the beginning.

 

[JulesRSA]

I'm feeling a little better about it, and feeling a little ashamed of my bad behavior!

There's nothing wrong with the feeder. I just for some reason REALLY struggled to get this thing to work! But I'm stubborn, hate to waste money, and was so mad at it that I was determined to win, lol!

I got all the old gunk scraped off and re-caulked it. It took three layers of caulk inside to get the elbow joints secure, but I set it in the sun all day, so that helped speed up the curing. It's dry, so I'll put it back in there tomorrow morning for breakfast.

You know, it's almost ironic - this go round I got a MUCH better position on the elbow joints. They're a little higher off the bottom, and I've got about 1/2 inch more pipe sticking out than before so hopefully I won't need extenders. I was SO mad that it was BETTER after the re-do that I actually busted out laughing when I was done! Crazy, right? I built a whole coop by myself but one little bucket feeder sent me over the edge!!

I'll post a pic of it in the morning. After all this stress I almost don't want to put it in there with the chickens. They'll just mess it up, lol!

I’m (selfishly) glad I’m not the only person who has had this problem! guess who will also be emptying the newly caulked feeder, scraping off the outer caulk and caulking properly inside today, while hoping the chickens don’t suffer any ill effects from caulk already eaten (I did go for a non-toxic caulk option just in case, but it can’t be good for them?! Darned birds)