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

[MonTXChickens]

Thank you for the pictures and pointers! This may resolve my feeding issue. I don't foresee adding 100 lbs at once, probably only 50 but this would give me the capacity if I choose to later. I am personally the messiest caulker in the world though.

 

[vehve]

Oh and one more thing... When I went garbage can shopping I checked the fit and shape of a lot of different style lids. I chose this one because the lid is strong, doesn't cave in, and forms a tight seal.. Even *I* could sit on this thing if for some crazy reason I wanted to. And it seals pretty tight. I *thought* i might have to put a brick on top to keep strong winds from blowing off, but its never come loose on us. At least I still have that option for the future in case later in its life it doesn't shut so good. So this is my prototype. What I would change in the future: I would search high and low for the screw-on flanged type 90"s,and if they still needed caulking I would do it myself instead of asking the dh who is the messiest caulker on the planet. I would skip the skirt awning because it seems to be completely unnecessary.

When it comes to painful detailing, I'm completely capable of doing it myself. But I've noticed that I can just do a shoddy job about it the first time, and then ask the better half if she wants it to look pretty, and she'll do it instead of me having to put in a lot of effort.

 

[Rob Bob]

Did a clip showing a different way to attach a straight elbow to the drums/barrels..

Also did a bit of a test using height to stop one of our girls from "mining" &think I have found the sweet spot for our chooks..
Hope that helps..

 

[Alaskan]

I have some questions for you experts.


1-- I have seen some pictures of the five gallon bucket with the PVC elbow in it, where the chickens are still billing out a decent amount of feed onto the ground. I guess that isn't a question, just an observation.

2-- i have a bunch of chickens, 20 to 40, and I can't figure out how I would set up a bucket (like in the opening post on this thread) feeding system that would feed such a large number of chickens. And, because of my observation (point one above) I am not sure it would be worth it.

I know some people are happy with a plywood feeder, where the feed funnels down in a trough. I have tried one, and it wasn't great. I wonder if there is either

A) a magic angle to get everything at, so the feed trough area is thin enough that no feed can be billed out or
B) i have seen some where they put wire over the trough area so the feed could not be billed out, but needed to be pecked out. With these however, I worry about the chicken heads and/or beaks getting damaged.


Anyone with experience and comments? I would love some input....

3-- i just saw a chicken feeder on the internet where the chicken has to hit a little target (I think it was called the bulls eye feeder) and then a little bit of feed falls out. Looked interesting, but the fact the the feeding hole is small, and you can't easily see how much feed is in there, I wonder if I would end up with dead chickens if I tried it. (Starved to death because the kids didn't take the time to unscrew the lid, look inside, and screw the lid back on. Also, the kids would probably waste lots of feed trying to fill it).

 

[Alaskan]

Oh and one more thing... When I went garbage can shopping I checked the fit and shape of a lot of different style lids. I chose this one because the lid is strong, doesn't cave in, and forms a tight seal.. Even *I* could sit on this thing if for some crazy reason I wanted to. And it seals pretty tight. I *thought* i might have to put a brick on top to keep strong winds from blowing off, but its never come loose on us. At least I still have that option for the future in case later in its life it doesn't shut so good. So this is my prototype. What I would change in the future: I would search high and low for the screw-on flanged type 90"s,and if they still needed caulking I would do it myself instead of asking the dh who is the messiest caulker on the planet. I would skip the skirt awning because it seems to be completely unnecessary.

Sheesh! I should have gone back one page before posting!

Yes, that looks good.... But as in my first point in my first point... Do they bill much out?

Also, I can't picture how you have the cinderblock inside set up. Could you post a picture of that too?

I think the plastic elbow thing that vehve is using with the lines in it, might help reduce billing. Not sure how much though.

 

[MeepBeep]

Where did you find them with the lip?

Check the 'sewer and drain' PVC fittings, no the regular SCH 40 fittings, they are generally around the corner by the black corrugated drainage pipes and floor drains... Home Depot doesn't carry them but both Menards and Lowes do...

http://www.menards.com/main/plumbin...n-street-elbow-spt-x-hub/p-1454621-c-9383.htm

http://www.lowes.com/pd_24870-676-41P0ST_0__?Ntt=41p0st&UserSearch=41p0st&productId=3609606&rpp=32

UPC 052063440903
Manufacture NDS part # 41p0st (note that's a zero)

 

[jetdog]

If they are billing it out it's usually because the hole was drilled to close to the bottom of the bucket, or the elbows were cut to short, basically the farther they have to stick their heads in the less chance of waste. I made this mistake on the first one I made, on the second made the hole higher and didn't cut the elbows so much, this works like a dream. If you have alot of birds I would make more than one and place them around so they have a choice and don't have arguing with in the ranks, also lifting the feeder a little so they have to stretch will also work, mine is on 3 blocks so they have to stretch and they have no problem getting to the feed.

 

[Alaskan]

@jetdog

Pictures?



@MeepBeep
Thanks for the links!

 

[jetdog]

This is the only picture I have at the time, I just filled it today. There is another one on the other side, 3 inch elbows I used the small piece I cut off the elbows and pushed it into the end with the flange to make it stick out a little further don't know if it helps but I had the extra piece anyway, if you notice there is nothing on the ground. With it up on some blocks I have found the perfect height. I originally tried to hang it like a traditional feeder but it seemed more like a 30# wrecking ball and didn't want to take a chance on it falling on someone.

 

[Knetiknrga]

Yes, that looks good.... But as in my first point in my first point... Do they bill much out?

Also, I can't picture how you have the cinderblock inside set up. Could you post a picture of that

Mine is on a milk crate for height. And the pipes we used are 2 1/2 inch instead of 3". Sorry i didnt remember that in my initial post.

My large fowl Cochins including the roosters, light Brahmas, royal palm turkey tom and Indian runner ducks have all eaten from it with rarely a few nuggets of spillage. Nobody has ever had an injured comb or wattles eating from it. Not even the big tom turkey. The factory smooth edges are on the outside.

We just filled it with 80 lbs of feed today. When it gets low again I will take a photo of the inside for you. My 1/2 of a cider block is broken in two pieces nested atop one another and fits in the of the can.