Keeping food in feeder?

[oldbird1]

I used a 4 inch y section PVC junction with a cap stopper one side and a 5 foot length extension the other end with removable cap for filling purposes and it is mounted 12 inches off the ground no more spillage and no more worries with rodents, later on I put in a y section on the feeder tube and turned it in to a double tube feeder and lasts 3 weeks with my present 5 chooks I would put a photo in but do not know how yet.

 

[chickenluver555]

I use crumble, but it is very small. Maybe thats the problem. I don't quite know what mesh is though. My feeder is raised a good four inches off the ground, should I go higher? I hate having their food spilled all over the place. One time, I watched them eat, and they just seemed to flick the food out of their feeder. Some pieces they ate, but about half ended up on the floor. Ugh they are so messy!

 

[RAGchickens]

I was feeding crumbles, but they were wasting it and the wild birds were eating it up too. We switched to pellets and have had no problems. My feeder is a 5 gallon bucket on the cut off barrel bottom as the tray. Very simple and free. It's set up on a concrete block in the dry and no problems. The lip of the tray is high enough to keep them from billing it out.

 

[amynrichie]

Can that bucket feeder be made to feed three at a time? Would two of those work for 14 birds?

 

[Robert M]

This is the best type of feeder, they cannot fling the food out without breaking their neck.

If you sit back and watch, you'll see that they stick their beaks in an flick it sideways and it goes all over the place.

They won't with this one, at least not nearly as much. The top dowels are on a roller and they can't roost and poop in the feeder.
They don't like things that "move". MAybe that's why they're called "chicken". LMAO

 

[jetdog]

Yes it can have 3 elbows just make sure you use 3inch elbows, 4 inch is to big and will not fit.With 14 birds I would make two of them.

 

[jimmywalt]

Can that bucket feeder be made to feed three at a time? Would two of those work for 14 birds?

Yes you can. I would use 2 elbows (3" size) for each bucket. They are under $3 each, and you probably can get a boat load of free buckets from your local hamburger restaurant (pickles) or bakery (frosting).

Get a hole saw to make a nice cut. It goes on your drill. Cut slowly.

Insert the elbows, caulk around the inside and out, let it dry 24 hours....... and you're all set.

Raise them so that the hole they stick their head in is about chest high on your chickens and you will NEVER have any waste!!!

This is the very best thing I have ever found on BYC (and I tried a lot of other plans). Thanks to JetDog at BYC who showed me out to make one of these. They are PRICELESS....... and if I lived somewhere that I could make and sell these I bet I could get $10 each for them!

They hold 25 lbs of pellets!!!!!!

 

[ruralgirl]

I use crumble, but it is very small. Maybe thats the problem. I don't quite know what mesh is though. My feeder is raised a good four inches off the ground, should I go higher? I hate having their food spilled all over the place. One time, I watched them eat, and they just seemed to flick the food out of their feeder. Some pieces they ate, but about half ended up on the floor. Ugh they are so messy!

There's a slight variation in crumble sizes among manufacturers, but pellets may be even better since you're still having problems. Mash is almost a dust - probably what crumbles look like before they press them into pellets and then break them up into crumbles. As far as feeder height, mine are quite a bit higher than 4" off the floor. I keep them at least mid-neck to a hen that's standing with her head up in a normal walking position.

 

[Bigmoneygrip]

Don't have that problem, I have a hanging feeder with pellets and a mix of crushed corn. I don't let them roam but pick them fresh clover tops and they run to the coop door to lap it up. I also throw crushed corn in the pen and let them scratch in the leaves to find it. I love my chickens


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[oldbird1]

Hi I read your bucket feeder with interest and thought I would make one only I used a 40litre rectangle container and put 3 elbows along the length and 1 elbow each end. the reason I left one side bare was when I make a stand this will be the high side so as the feed will naturally move to the feeding side as the level gets lower I have 11 chooks at the moment mainly D/B Plymouth Rocks and it works well but sorry still like my 4inch P V C tubing set up the best and will give the other to my son cheers oldbird 1.