feeder and water system for 8 (newbie)

[BruutalPoodle]

Any ideas for a diy or store bought feeder and waterer for 8 birds. I'm new to this and would like some input.

 

[303hunter]

Do you mean for chicks? If so, don't buy the small round feeders with 6-8 feeding "holes". They will waste 5 times as much as they eat. I use a disposable baking pan with 3"
sides. They won't scratch out hardly any, and you can keep an old spoon handy to scoop out poop. Rinse the pan when needed, or replace, they're $1.

For waterers, the feed store gravity type that use a quart jar work fine, they're about $3.

What kind of birds do you have? I grew up on a farm, and after 20 years have gotten back into chickens. They're lots of fun!

 

[BruutalPoodle]

I honestly don't know. I was about to start another thread to find out. Some my wife had to have when we made a trip to TSC. They are a lot of fun so far!

 

[Dfwgolden]

I don't use a feeding system I make my hens work for their food.

Water I just use concrete mixing tubs and rinse and refill them out every few days

 

[sunflour]

Welcome from Middle Georgia..so glad you decided to join us. Sounds like y'all had to scramble to get things to care for your new flock.

Posting pics will help folks give the advice you seek.


TSC is having spring chick days, so I assume they are very young. If they are baby chicks, make sure you use a water fount made for chicks or add marbles it an open dish so they won't drown. They will scratch and poop in any feeder, but I do prefer the small ones made for chicks until they are at least 5-6 weeks old.

Took a look at your coop, it is looking good thus far.

Please visit the learning center articles on raising baby chicks and raising chickens.

Feel free to post questions in the forums. Pictures do help get answers.

 

[BruutalPoodle]

Thank you for the advice! We are in south GA

 

[SavannahsBrood]

dog-ear picket fence board feeder. Will hold between 5 and 6 lbs of feed, depending on the type of feed.
The pickets I used was 5.5" x 8' cost around $2.50 each. Needed 2 pickets (with some left over for spare parts), 2 pieces of plywood, 1 about 10"x10" other around 14"x14". I screwed the feeder together to make it easy to change a part if it gets damaged.

Finished feeder


I cut one picket to 4 pieces 23" long. Can be cut shorter if you don't want one that will hold that much feed at a time. Which would mean you would only need 1 8' picket.


Then pre-drilled holes so not to split the wood.


Then screwed them into a box. and marked where I would cut out for the feed to fall though. I first thought 1" but decided on 2" tall.





Now I built the pyramid to make the feed run to the outside of the feeder. I stacked 3 small pieces of the pickets together then screwed together and used a belt sander to slope the sides.



Then I cut the plywood to 10" x10" and centered the box. should give about 2" on each side. marked corners and pre-drilled holes.
attached the pyramid to the plywood. attached box and checked to see if there was enough space for the feed to fall though. Then ripped pieces of the picket 2" wide for the rails on the outside. Then attached top plywood piece with just one screw so I could swing it open to pour in the feed.