Feed Storage and waterers

[Mommyland]

We have been leaving the bags of feed and corn in the garage and now chipmunks are getting into it. I knew it would happen I was just trying not to spend more money on the chickens for a while.

Anyway, I've heard of using large plastic garbage cans to store the feed in. Ones that had handles so you could use some kind of rope or bungee cord to tie the lid on so raccoons couldn't get in. Has anyone done this that could tell me what type of can works best (brand and size) and how exactly to raccoon-proof it?

Or are there other not too expensive ideas. If it is waterproof then we can finally store it next to the coop which would be nice.

We've just been using plastic water buckets but I'd like to get some real waterers as the chickens keep dumping the buckets. I'd like to get something with a heater or that could be heated some way. I'm not prepared to spend $50 on it like I could if I bought one in the feed store - I need two of them and I can't justify that expense.

Thanks for any help!

Kate

 

[rodandbrandy]

I just use large plastic trash bins with lids that click into a locked position for food, water however I have spent money on, I live in NH and winter is hard here, I shelled out the money for plastic waterers with a heated base from mcmurray hatchery I found the steel with heated bases just do not work, but I find my chickens will drink from anything, from the geese pool to the ducks big bowl of water!!

 

[playswithfowl]

Not sure what to do about the water heaters, I have really mild winters here and don't have the need. I use a big plastic garbage can. Mine is kept in a shed so I don't have to worry about Racoons, but if you got one with the handles a bungee cord of some kind should keep coons out. If you don't have large amounts of feed stored at one time you could probably just use some kind of small storage container that has a snap on lid. Hope that helps,
Playswithfowl.

 

[lleighmay]

I use galvanized metal garbage cans (so I can thwart just about anyone). They're about 15$ at TSC and I swear by them inside and outside of the house.

 

[Chirpy]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you found us, you'll get lots of great help from wonderful (addicted) chicken people here.

We found, through lots of experiments that there isn't a trash can that a raccoon can't get into. My son spent weeks trying to outsmart our local raccoon and was never successful. So, if someone else has found a way to keep a raccoon out of a trash can of feed.. lay it on me. We tied the lid, used large bricks and boards to weigh it down (he tipped it over easily) and tried multiple other ideas to no avail.

We have an old chest freezer that doesn't work, we have it in the barn and keep all our feed in it. Nothing can get into it - we could even put a padlock on it if needed.

As to the water, I use a bungy cord to hold my goat bucket against the fence and a carabiner (like rock climbers use) to hold the handle up tightly so they can't tip it over. I've heard of chickens drowning in buckets though so keep that in mind. I think it would be more likely to have a chick drown than a full grown chicken but??

You could also possibly put a heavy rock/brick in the bottom of the bucket so they couldn't tip it over.

Our local feed store has all their waterers on sale in the spring.. that wouldn't help you now but you might keep your eyes open next spring if you have a feed store nearby. I got a great waterer and feeder at a garage sale. If you live near the country you might want to watch those farm sales for such items.

 

[fullhouse]

We use big, 55-60 gallon food storage drums. They hold about 300 pounds feed. We also use them as rain barrels.

For water this year I am trying the hot rock in the steel waterer. We have radiators, so my plan is to heat a rock on one, pop it in with the water, and see how long it takes to freeze outside. We have mild winters so I hope that will be just enough.

 

[EngieKisses]

Be careful about the rock you use to heat up, we have had heated rocks explode. That was fun.....

 

[Mommyland]

Wow! I didn't expect so many response so quickly.

I've seen raccoons around but don't know for certain that we will have a problem so I think we'll give it a try to store it outside. It can always be moved back into the garage if necessary. Chirpy, it's fortunate you had a solution since you have such intelligent coons there.

I hear ya, rodandbrandy. We are in northern Indiana and I think we had about 2 months last year where we dealt with frozen water buckets almost daily. That's why I want heated ones so badly.

Thanks for all the helpful ideas!

Kate

 

[fullhouse]

Quote:
LOL! They don't get that hot, and heat slowly. I have slate tiles on the radiators and they are fine after years of hot-cold cycles. I was going to use a round river rock, but we do have some big lava rock chunks around. What kind of rock was it?

 

[Bi0sC0mp]

Temperature Controllers/Heated Waterers look here they got some good ones not bad price either

http://www.shopthecoop.com/id86.html