I’ve wanted to try a fermented feed trough for a while now. I like the idea of the feed being off the ground so chickens don’t scratch it out so much and run debris doesn’t get scratched in so much - both big issues with my feed pan method. It also needed to be easy to clean and sun/rain protected. It needed to be easy to fill and hold enough feed for 17 full sized hens. Here’s what we came up with:
The trough itself is a half split bamboo pole. We did cut the sides down a bit more after the half split to get a slightly wider opening. We did this using a table saw. The trough is hung between 2 pine logs using big eye hooks and paracord loops for easy removal if/when needed. We use a lot of pine logs but any stake arrangement would work.
The plywood top provides sun and rain protection as well as keeps the hens out of the food. It is hinged for easy lift access with a grab loop to facilitate adding food or power washing the trough out with the hose. The plywood top when open leans against a palm tree. The shown hinge isn’t actually attached yet - we ran out of time tonight to finish the project. There will be 2 hinges.
The girls were hesitant for about 5 minutes to eat out of the trough. They had been getting a flat feed pan placed under a similar plywood roof for 2 weeks prior so the change really wasn’t that big. The next 2 pics show the hens eating simultaneously from both sides of the trough.
I added moderate amounts of feed 3 times today and they cleaned it completely out. It rained today as well and the feed stayed dry- well, as dry as fermented feed gets. Tomorrow I want to add a few drain holes in each bamboo segment area
to aid in quick drainage after a spray power wash from the hose.
I am not entirely happy with where we placed it as it makes getting to the 2nd coop a bit of a detour walk. I could address that by making the trough shorter but don’t want to make the trough shorter than it is as I want 6-8 hens to be able to feed simultaneously. I think I’ll move it in a few months when a shade bush I’ve planted grows big enough. We’ll see!
DH and I are having a great time trying new ideas to streamline the chicken chores and add fun and value to both us and the flock.
The trough itself is a half split bamboo pole. We did cut the sides down a bit more after the half split to get a slightly wider opening. We did this using a table saw. The trough is hung between 2 pine logs using big eye hooks and paracord loops for easy removal if/when needed. We use a lot of pine logs but any stake arrangement would work.
The plywood top provides sun and rain protection as well as keeps the hens out of the food. It is hinged for easy lift access with a grab loop to facilitate adding food or power washing the trough out with the hose. The plywood top when open leans against a palm tree. The shown hinge isn’t actually attached yet - we ran out of time tonight to finish the project. There will be 2 hinges.
The girls were hesitant for about 5 minutes to eat out of the trough. They had been getting a flat feed pan placed under a similar plywood roof for 2 weeks prior so the change really wasn’t that big. The next 2 pics show the hens eating simultaneously from both sides of the trough.
I added moderate amounts of feed 3 times today and they cleaned it completely out. It rained today as well and the feed stayed dry- well, as dry as fermented feed gets. Tomorrow I want to add a few drain holes in each bamboo segment area
to aid in quick drainage after a spray power wash from the hose.
I am not entirely happy with where we placed it as it makes getting to the 2nd coop a bit of a detour walk. I could address that by making the trough shorter but don’t want to make the trough shorter than it is as I want 6-8 hens to be able to feed simultaneously. I think I’ll move it in a few months when a shade bush I’ve planted grows big enough. We’ll see!
DH and I are having a great time trying new ideas to streamline the chicken chores and add fun and value to both us and the flock.
