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

[byounghusband]

Made a feeder out of a square Kitty Litter bucket with 2 3-1/2" street elbows. I ended up cutting the holes small and using my dremel with a cutting wheel, I cut the rest of the way to the size of the elbow. It made tabs all the way around the hole and I simply pushed the elbow in. Perfect friction fit!! Unfortunately, I did it one the 2nd hole.... But I really like the results.

It took the girls about 3 seconds to figure this set up out. Even the ducks!!

Now I need to find a thicker bucket for the waterer. I used another Kitty Litter bucket and I couldn't get a good seal.

 

[arwoon]

Does this work ok for bantams?

 

[coop410silkies]

My Silkies use it just fine (but I do put a little block for them to stand on if it is set up for - and they are sharing with - LF).

 

[arwoon]

I made one of these, thank you all! It works great.

 

[hooktontravel]

Does this work ok for bantams?

It should do. Mine are all large fowl, BUT they were using it from about 2 months old if I remember correctly, and they were much smaller then. One scissorbeak was even still chick sized most of her short life, and she would use it too (despite a special creep-feed setup with wet mash available) I have mine set on a half-cinder-block to raise it off the ground. You can vary the height of what you set the bucket on (or just put it on the ground) to make it the right height for them. Also if they don't have large combs you may not need 4 inch pipe. My large Brahma hen happily eats from a 2-inch pipe that is what I put in it at first when they were babies. I added the larger openings later when they grew. My roo doesn't like it as well (I think his comb may bump, and he doesn't like that he can't keep watch while eating), but he'll use it in a pinch, or get the hens to dump a little on the ground for him. The drake and duck both eat/ate from it easily, and the duck started at about a month old, so still little in sie.

 

[tigger19687]

??? @tntchix who is not longer on here. But she did this in the tub with the Street 90 Elbow but DID NOT cut it.

Has ANYONE else done this ???

how is it working ?

I have a "feed spiller" and need to figure out this before I cut anything. I know raising or lowering can help with that but would like to not cut the pipe if I don't have to.

I will be putting this in a tall type kitchen trash can, like a 25 gallon one. So I can put 2 on the side and cut a hole in the wire into the coop. That way the bucket is on my side of the coop and the hens just get the pipes to stick their heads in.
This will save coop space and I can easily refill as needed.

 

[blackdog043]

As long as the elbow will go in the hole and not be to long for your chickens to reach the feed you should be ok, without cutting. Don't forget to have the elbows 3/4 to 1 inch from the bottom of your container. Will your trash can have a good tight fitting lid so no water or animals will be able to get into it?

 

[tigger19687]

I put together a small 1 gallon bucket I had laying around and put in elbow with out cutting.
It is the 'longer' of the elbows people have gotten, the one on the 3rd post on page one.

I saw one put it's head in and get food so that is good.
Have it in the coop for 2 days to see how they do. They still have their other pvc feeder with the bottom cover so less spillage.

Will see how they do with the new one. If it doesn't work i can return the elbows If they take to it I will build a bigger one. I just need a tall thin bucket because I will only have 2 openings. Still looking for a better bucket, maybe one of those X-mas wrapping paper ones that stand up straight ?

 

[blackdog043]

Somebody on here made one out of a kingsford charcoal holder. It should work good for what you want to do and the lid should keep water out. You might find it cheaper somewhere else, but here's a link.
https://www.amazon.com/Buddeez-King...pID=41kzfy4-XPL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

 

[tigger19687]

Ahh, TY, I saw that online but we don't have that around here, most people use gas grills

I was looking for something tall and thin like this
https://www.amazon.com/Homz-30-Wrap...1510321176&sr=8-6&keywords=wrapping+paper+bin


I am still looking. But i am trying to think of how I can make a top for this bin that i already have.
https://www.amazon.com/STERILITE-10...9011,p_n_feature_three_browse-bin:16542869011

I tossed some dried mealworms in the hole and 2 figured it out fast enough... darn piggies. So I think it will work. Need to finish the popdoor and then rearrange the inside of the coop for this to work.