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

[ShrekDawg]

All great ideas here I'm thinking I'm definitely going to be doing this when I get my chickens.

Although how does it fit if you don't add the screw on part? You just make the hole small enough? A little worried it would flop around haha

 

[MesMama]

This was AMAZING to stumble upon the other day We made one last night, I have a question though-what do you all do with the "fines" in the feed, I'm assuming the chickens still don't eat them? I'm thinking to just scoop them out of the holes once in awhile and make a mash with greek yogurt? Mine now just flick it on the floor and it gets wasted :/ Hoping this feeder prevents that

So do your chickens eat the fines out of this feeder or does it build up in there?

 

[Hholly]

All great ideas here

I'm thinking I'm definitely going to be doing this when I get my chickens.

Although how does it fit if you don't add the screw on part? You just make the hole small enough? A little worried it would flop around haha

I used silicone around the hole. So far no flopping around. I made mine out of a plastic tote instead of a bucket. The chickens seem to love it and they waste much less food.

 

[MeepBeep]

Although how does it fit if you don't add the screw on part? You just make the hole small enough? A little worried it would flop around haha

I used a hole saw that was about 1/4" smaller than the elbow... I then took a heat gun and heated up the edge of the cut out and forced the elbow into the cutout, once cooled mine fit very snug and have not moved at all...

 

[MeTxLady]

Thank you for sharing this! I have been so frustrated with the wasted food and mostly the mess it causes. I love this idea and can't wait to show it to my hubby - unless I decide to do it myself that is.

 

[henless]

I feed mine a crumble. When the feeder gets close to being empty, I just pour out what is left into a round flat feeder, like a dog food bowl. The chickens will eat this, and I can fill the bucket feeder back up. Really no waste at all.

 

[Hholly]

Quote:
I do this too.

 

[qhlover]

Made some improvements to my bucket feeder. Added L brackets and cut the end off at an angel. To help prevent the neck of the feeder from resting flat on the bottom of the feeder cutibg off the chickens access to feed.

 

[henless]

Made some improvements to my bucket feeder. Added L brackets and cut the end off at an angel. To help prevent the neck of the feeder from resting flat on the bottom of the feeder cutibg off the chickens access to feed.

I cut my holes so that the elbow is 3/4" to 1" off the bottom of the bucket. The feed flows down as the chickens eat it.

 

[qhlover]

I cut my holes so that the elbow is 3/4" to 1" off the bottom of the bucket. The feed flows down as the chickens eat it.