DIY Feeder Question

[Duchess of Quah]

We are relatively new chicken owners, with a nice flock of 8-week-old Barred Rock chickens. They are really enjoying their new coop and run, and our next big project will be to make them a tractor so they can get out more.

Before we do that, we need to get a feeder sorted out for them. I picked up a two-pack of the feeding ports from Rent-a-Coop, and we found a sturdy bin to set up outside. We currently have 8 pullets and 4 cockerels, though will be giving some back to the breeders, our friends, after September 1. My husband jokes that he'll simply add a bullpen so we can keep all of the cockerels, too, since they're so sweet and funny. But seriously, will we need to use both ports, or just one, when constructing our bin? If we go from 12 chickens to 7-8, does that make a difference in how many ports we need?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D1BMN4D/?tag=backy-20

 

[SueT]

It's always good to have extra feeding stations due to pecking order. With 8 chickens, I'd make more than one feeder. How about 2 feeders with 4 ports each?

 

[Duchess of Quah]

It's always good to have extra feeding stations due to pecking order. With 8 chickens, I'd make more than one feeder. How about 2 feeders with 4 ports each?

With a little more floor space, that would be great. We might be able to swing two, with two ports each. I think their ramp is taking up more space than it needs, so we might go with a more space-conscious option for that.

If we're able to get them out of the coop more during the day, would that help take some of the strain off feeding time, with access to fresh forage and bugs?