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

[mat2dong]

I made this pipe feeder and my feed doesn't seem to flow down to the end it just kind of puddles at the back end I tried tipping it down a bit but it doesn't move. Could it also be because of the starter crumples rather then pellets?
(Sorry of this was already answered)

Post some photos of how it goes into your coat and around the problem area. I think I have an idea of why it may not be coming out for you but I need to see some photos

 

[OhMrsWright]

Thanks- I have raised it to about a foot off the ground. We will see if it helps. I was not able to test it today as I was buying more feed and didn't get home before they were in the coop for the night.

Have you noticed any difference in the amount of food they waste?

 

[danroberts]

The ladies have cleaned up their act. The dining area is much more presentable now- no noticeable food waste. Now if we could just conquer the potty training...

 

[susandonb]

I saw a similar design on a blog that stated they had the same spill problem until they added a three inch long additional section of PVC between the main pipe and the elbow piece. They claim it completely eliminated the spill issue.

 

[happyhj]

I love the look of this idea. I have heard that you can use rabbit cage waterers for chickens and just haven't tried it yet although I am always frustrated by what a mess my chickens make out of any kind of chicken waterer that I put on the ground. As for the scratching, I am wondering what kind of feed you were using? If you used pellets and it got scratched out then presumably the chickens would eat it and it wouldn't be lost. But maybe that is just too much for them to eat and they don't stop until it is all gone. In which case wouldn't you have the same problem with the PVC feeder? I am just trying to figure this out. I only have 8 hens now, down from 15 so I am not a big operation, just eggs for family use and some to donate. Still, anything that makes life easier and my chicken coop neater is a good idea to me. Since chickens do love to scratch, maybe giving them some things to scratch for would satisfy that urge and they would leave the food in the pipes? Or maybe smaller pipes so they couldn't get their feet inside so easily? Great idea, maybe some modification would help. Any comments appreciated.

 

[WVDoug]

Here's my feeder. Takes up little space inside the coop and holds 47+ lbs.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...em-havent-seen-this-done-before#post_13583582

 

[Chicken muncher]

I'm not chicken farmer, but I'm hearing raise the feeding tubes... looks like a good bit of work.. Maybe you could just dig out a feeding area where the tubes are? Maybe use some perforated galvanized steel \_/ shaped like that.. where they walk while feeding.. this way if they did dig out it would stay in the general area. This could be a bad idea if the area is prone to flooding or is not protected from rain and what not. however it could still work with a few modifications. I think of my popcorn machine with this idea. the kernels fall through the perforated steel in to a collection trough drawer. in the popcorn machine it's waste to toss out in your case it would be to catch the waste the chickens do and re-load the feeder with...

 

[Eric Smith]

Get an End cap and cut half of the inside of it out so you are left with only a half moon hole put this over the end of the feeder to reduce opening size. This might stop wastage.

Also to help stop clogging use a 45 degree angle half way down the main feeder pipe to angle it, the change in direction helps stop blockages...

Cheers,

Eric Smith

edited by staff

 

[Atillahun2012]

You need tocover the bottom 1/4 or 1/3 of that opening. In other words put a lip over the bottom of the opening and it will keep them from scraping the grain out onto the floor. I have done this with other feeders and it works. hotgluing some plexiglass or similar plastic in there would work great!

 

[mat2dong]

You need tocover the bottom 1/4 or 1/3 of that opening. In other words put a lip over the bottom of the opening and it will keep them from scraping the grain out onto the floor. I have done this with other feeders and it works. hotgluing some plexiglass or similar plastic in there would work great!

Good little tip I don't have them wasting a whole lot so that's good. Keeps the rats away