Favorite feeders and where to get them

[Agilityscots]

What's your favorite feeder? Right now I only have the long tray feeder for my chicks, but they'll be ready to go outside in a couple weeks and I need a "real" feeder. My TSC only has mason jar feeder bases and I don't have a mason jar, they don't sell them, and that seems too small anyway to be convenient. For five chicks, what's a good size? How often should I refill feed once they're outside?

Amy

 

[Judymae]

Our TSC sells plastic and metal feeders that you can hang or sit on the ground. I have the waterer already but I'm waiting for them to get in some more feeders. For right now I just go out and give them their feed in a small pie dish. I only give them a little at a time so they don't poop in it and ruin it. So I'm running out there every couple of hours. I can't wait for them to get in the new feeders!

 

[justusnak]

you can also make your own feeders....with a 5 gallon bucket...and a pan of some sort.

This is one of the ones I made.....works great! And you only have to fill it once a week, depending on how many chickens you are feeding from it.

 

[Agilityscots]

Great idea, Deb! Did you attach your pan to your bucket somehow? (like with a screw or something?) And it look like the little ports are pretty small...do you have any problems with feed clogging up? I have five girls so I doubt I'll be filling something that big very often!

Amy

 

[justusnak]

I used an eye bolt, and a nut to hold the 2 together. And yes, the feed holes were too small. I had to enlarge them. They work great tho, and I can hang them from the ceiling to keep them from scratching the feed out.

 

[FluffyChickenMama]

Quote:
Your gonna think Im crazy.. but can you give a little bit more detail in how you made it.. Is there a hole on the other side for the feed to come out?? Do you have to shake the feed down or does it come out on its own.. the plastic feeder I bought.. which I hate.. I have to shake the feed down...

 

[xrayman]

Here's mine have made 3 of them so far. Just bought a cheap plastic trash can cut a 8"x3" hole in the side on the bottom and made a base out of 2x4's and plywood. the trash can holds 100 lbs of feed.

 

[motherhen]

hey Deb, I love the design of your feeder. I was wondering do you know how to make a waterer using the same design? I just dont want things to leak everwhere and cause problems.

 

[ChickenMommy]

You can make wateres the same way. I made one and only have to clean and refill weekly for my 5 chickens.
Here's where I got the idea.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-waterer.html

 

[Agilityscots]

Well, this just seems too easy! Thanks everyone; I'll definitely make my own. I may even make a new waterer too, so I don't have to change it as often. What do you all do in winter? Do you put a heater in the water? I have a large livestock waterer-heater that I've used for my birdbath, but I was thinking of buying another one and just letting it sit inside the bucket in the winter.