****** DIY chicken feeder pipe! ******

[ftwchopper]

The pictures are poor quality but here ya go...

 

[Hawgon]

See at the top where the arrows are? There is no holes there right? If there is that is your issue. You will need to get a fitting that will fit over the top of the pipe with no holes See where I circled? If there is no holes on the top or sides of that fitting there is no way for the water to leak into the top. That would rule that area out. Got moisture in pipe again....will tear it apart and check it out tomorrow.....sucks....might just build a new one with smaller feed holes A longer distance from first feed hole to elbow, maybe water is getting in there...will update Okay, now the blue lines are water flowing down the pipe right down to the elbow connection. The water can get in that spot if the pipe is not pushed together really good. You may even have to glue that spot. That does not really explain that feed at the top being wet but chicken feed tends to act like a sponge. With that said if it leaks in that spot I circled then the water will take over ALL the feed in the pipe. So, I think with the info given to me your feed pipe is full of wet feed I hope that helps my friend!

 

[kneelandchicks]

thanks for the feeder tube idea, we are going away and need something that will feed them for several days, this seems perfect

 

[mat2dong]

thanks for the feeder tube idea, we are going away and need something that will feed them for several days, this seems perfect

That's why build this feeder

 

[Sondacop]

2 days ago I got home and saw lots of food all over the floor of the coop. So much that I left the feeder lid closed and they still have plenty to eat. This defeats the purpose of the feeder lid as rodents can eat the food as well. Having the food all over the floor of the coop has me worried since in the warmer months I use the coop as a chicken tractor and move them daily on my lawn. I wouldn't want the seeds to sprout and grow and compete with my lawn (which does look very nice in the warmer months as apposed to right now).
I don't know what caused this, I wonder if there was some sort of food avalanche, I have seen Coco fling food even with the improved U system, but I have never seen this much on the floor.

 

[DreamCatcherNC]

could the moisture in the pipe be due to condensation? the warm air from iside the coop rising through the tube and cooling down as it goes up, causing the moisture in the tube to condense and make the feed wet?

 

[mat2dong]

2 days ago I got home and saw lots of food all over the floor of the coop. So much that I left the feeder lid closed and they still have plenty to eat. This defeats the purpose of the feeder lid as rodents can eat the food as well. Having the food all over the floor of the coop has me worried since in the warmer months I use the coop as a chicken tractor and move them daily on my lawn. I wouldn't want the seeds to sprout and grow and compete with my lawn (which does look very nice in the warmer months as apposed to right now).
I don't know what caused this, I wonder if there was some sort of food avalanche, I have seen Coco fling food even with the improved U system, but I have never seen this much on the floor.

I've seen rats push lots of food from feeders and I did not know why tell I thought about it more. They push it out because they know they can get to it if its on the floor! They are smart little things!!

How has it been going? You still having this issue?

 

[mat2dong]

could the moisture in the pipe be due to condensation?  the warm air from iside the coop rising through the tube and cooling down as it goes up, causing the moisture in the tube to condense and make the feed wet?

 

I would say yes, good thinking

 

[johnmw1]

I'm having a huge problems with rats at the moment, I'm infested with them. They are all baby ones and can squeeze through the smallest of holes to get into the cage, when I went out last night to have a look there were at least 20 in there if not more, and I closely watched as to where they were getting in and out, I have since found another couple of tincy wincy holes that I had ignored before and to be honest I'm not sure how to get rid of them, trapping is not working cause they're too smart for that, baiting is the only thing I have not tried for fear of hurting other wildlife in the process.

Cheers,
John

 

[Phottoman]

I know this is an expensive idea to wrap your entire cage/run with 1/4" hardware cloth, but it will pay off in the long run. Hardware cloth is available in 4' and 6' widths, comes in rolls of various lengths, and can be cut with several tools. I don't think the rats/mice can get through it as small as the openings are.

I have to seriously consider the same thing. I have wild birds getting into my girls run and eating the food.

It's so bad that I am seriously considering getting one of the feeders where the girls step on the front to open the top so they can get to their food, that may be a consideration for you also.

There is a very good thread going on that very thing here on BYC.

Good luck, and let us know what happens.

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