Make your own - No waste - 5 gallon (25# feed) bucket feeder for about $3

[tigger19687]

I used a 15 gallon trash bucket with the flip top, so I will have to make a top for it.
2 street (hub) elbows, smaller part pushed through holes and black electrical tape on the outside. I DID NOT CUT THE PIPE ! About an inch up from the bottom bump, since it is not flat.

Here you can see the tape, sorry pic is upside down

In coop on a cinder block, holes through mesh, sorry it is blurry, with rope holding the mesh up against bucket.
If you click on MY COOP under my name you can see better clearer picks of the coop if you want. 2 figured it out already, and I am sure the other 2 will follow since they already stuck their head in.

 

[blackdog043]

If the electrical tape stops holding the elbows in place, L brackets to hold your elbows in place forever.

 

[tigger19687]

They are in very tight actually. I don't think they will come out.
I put the tape on to cover small holes because I cut holes with a jig saw so it isn't perfect. But small enough that I had to push the pipes in.

But thanks for the thought !

 

[tigger19687]

Ok Update.

WORKS GREAT !!! No spilling and they all are using it.
I was not 100% sure they ALL were using it so I filled the entrance with feed till it was almost coming out. I didn't care if some spilled out
I figure that they will all eat out of it and by the time the level goes down to where it should be, they will be acclimated to it.

So they are all using it.

 

[tigger19687]

OK, FYI, leave a FULL INCH on the bottom.

then you won't get any jam ups

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

I am commenting on this thread so that it will stay in my alerts ... I am making a new chicken coop and run right now, and will have room for a bigger feeder once it's finished. I know that my ladies (and one gentleman) will benefit from this!!

 

[tigger19687]

You will like the room it saves, although my PVC pipe one was a more space saver, too bad I had a tosser of feed in my clan

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

You will like the room it saves, although my PVC pipe one was a more space saver, too bad I had a tosser of feed in my clan

I have guinea fowl also, and they are ssssssooooooooo crazy-messy. I hope that I can make one of these for them, and teach them to use it (they are the dumbest creatures). I will save big bucks on bird food and also reduce messes in their feeding area.

 

[tigger19687]

If it helps, I filled the tube leading into the bucket so it started to come out. They were in it like a frog in water..
If you click on MY COOP in my avatar, on the last page should be a pic of how I have mine in the coop on my side so the holes go into the coop and not take up coop space.

 

[Toothpick]

Hello,

I'm considering this idea for my coop as I've been throwing food on the ground. Pretty much wasting a lot of it since I see wild birds eating it.

My question for the bucket feeder crowd....How do you stop mice/rats/rodents from getting in to the feed? I'm guessing you really can't.....

I can place it inside the coop and that will help, but I leave the chicken door open 24/7.