Got fed up and finally made me a PVC feeder!!

[ben is a terror]

Can anyone post directions how to make this? sizes of pipes how high to hang etc. are the pipes glued together. I love the painted coop. are your walls insulated? Did you use reg. exterior paint or something else? Can you use these feeders for ducks too?
thanks

 

[Schwartzfarmnc]

Quote:
Instruction are from a previous poster https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=342513

I used 3 inch PVC pipes and I glued the plastic caps to the bottom of the Y fittings(they look like the lids to a pringle can), then filled the Y fittings with sand up to the level right before the feed comes out to eliminate old feed building up.

You can start with the feeder sitting on the floor then raise them as the birds grow, I used 2x4's until the girls got big enough to put concrete blocks under the feeders so they had to reach in about the height of their backs and could not sling any food out.

I did insulate all wall and roof inside, since the mountains have horrible winds and cold in the winter time, and I used Olympic Stain on the outside to match exsisting buildings.

Don't know about ducks, never raised them, but I don't see why you couldn't?

 

[ben is a terror]

What kink of paint inside? I'm sure my ladies would like a fancy house better than "just a coop" They might ask for window boxes and taffeta lined nest boxes. Yea I'd give it to them

Is that linoleum on the floor?

 

[birdbrain5]

so i filled up my pvc feeders with pellets today, and i was ooo happy to see them not slinging it around everywhere, and the pellets that did fall they were cleaning up!! THEN, i went out to check how they were doing and in one pen they EMPTIED THE FEEDER ALL OVER THE GROUND

i have HAD it with these chickens i dont know what to do i am so upset by the waste i cannot afford to be wasting this feed like this. ugh.

 

[ben is a terror]

is there some kind of wire mesh that you could put over the hole that becks and pellet could good through I little at a time? I'm no engineer it's just a thought.

 

[Saltysteele]

couple thoughts:

- are you sure it's the chickens, and not a gopher/chipmunk, etc.?
- if it is the chickens, purchase a bushing to narrow the size of the opening, or put something over the hole that you can make a specific sized opening. if they cannot get their feet in it, they can't scratch it out. if they are doing it with their beaks, then this will also not allow them to scratch it out.
- is there anything else in your pen that they can "play" with/in? for instance, throw a slab of straw/hay in there for them to scratch and pick through; might help with boredom, if that is what is driving them to play in your food

 

[Jodiemama]

Could you just ration out the food and say feed them every morning? Just throw the food(how ever much is needed for a days ration) on the ground or floor and let them peck around and eat it?

I know having them eat from a feeder is nice and its intended to be neat. But if the food ends up on the ground anyway, why not put it there in the first place?
Not being snarky, honest question.

My chicks are still in the brooder and I don't know how we are going to work the food and water in the coop and run just yet, PVC sounds promising though.

I hope you find a soulution that works for you and your chickens.

 

[Doopy]

If you're having that much trouble with feeding do what Jodiemama suggested.

If I had your problem I would get rid of all feeders. Each time you go to collect eggs toss a hand full of feed on the floor and forget it. If the chickens start to look thin toss two hands full each time. Problem solved.

 

[Two Creeks Farm]

Yep, toss it and let them do what they do

I never understood trying to feed a chicken with any type of feeder.

 

[crtrlovr]

Quote:
Instruction are from a previous poster https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=342513

I used 3 inch PVC pipes and I glued the plastic caps to the bottom of the Y fittings(they look like the lids to a pringle can), then filled the Y fittings with sand up to the level right before the feed comes out to eliminate old feed building up.You can start with the feeder sitting on the floor then raise them as the birds grow, I used 2x4's until the girls got big enough to put concrete blocks under the feeders so they had to reach in about the height of their backs and could not sling any food out.

I did insulate all wall and roof inside, since the mountains have horrible winds and cold in the winter time, and I used Olympic Stain on the outside to match exsisting buildings.

Don't know about ducks, never raised them, but I don't see why you couldn't?

Thanks for that bit of info! I saw lots of these fittings at a Habitat for Humanity resale store but couldn't figure out how to keep the feed from going to the absolute bottom and getting old -- makes total sense now that someone explained it!