I bought this 48" trough feeder from Meyer hatchery this spring for my meat birds. It was a bit pricey (esp. including shipping), but it sounded like it would get the job done. And, well, I'm pretty happy with it. No, I'm not getting any kickbacks from Meyer, but if I find a good product, I don't mind spreading the word.
http://www.meyerhatchery.com/get_item_ppf48_48-poly-feeder-w-reel.htm
They also have a 60" version.
Pros:
It holds around 15-20 lbs of feed, although I haven't actually weighed it.
Feed waste is minimal, because of how the sides turn inward.
The chickens generally have to stand when eating (that's a plus), unless or until they get big enough to lean over the edge while sitting.
The PVC reel works great as a handle, and even when full, you don't have to worry about the pipe bending or breaking (and if it did somehow break, simply buy a new piece of pipe).
Cons:
I didn't glue mine together, as suggested, and if I'm not careful, it comes apart, spilling feed all over. I'm still trying to think of a better alternative that doesn't involve glue. But if you follow directions, you may have better results in that regard.
The reel is PVC, but the trough is made of rather brittle corrugated plastic. The first one that was shipped to me arrived with the end of the trough all busted up, but they promptly sent me a replacement. It's not something you'd want to drop onto concrete, but for normal use, it's probably unlikely to be a problem.
But like I said, I'm quite happy with it, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone. It seems like a good design, and with feed prices as high as they are, it may even pay for itself by limiting feed waste.
http://www.meyerhatchery.com/get_item_ppf48_48-poly-feeder-w-reel.htm
They also have a 60" version.
Pros:
It holds around 15-20 lbs of feed, although I haven't actually weighed it.
Feed waste is minimal, because of how the sides turn inward.
The chickens generally have to stand when eating (that's a plus), unless or until they get big enough to lean over the edge while sitting.
The PVC reel works great as a handle, and even when full, you don't have to worry about the pipe bending or breaking (and if it did somehow break, simply buy a new piece of pipe).
Cons:
I didn't glue mine together, as suggested, and if I'm not careful, it comes apart, spilling feed all over. I'm still trying to think of a better alternative that doesn't involve glue. But if you follow directions, you may have better results in that regard.
The reel is PVC, but the trough is made of rather brittle corrugated plastic. The first one that was shipped to me arrived with the end of the trough all busted up, but they promptly sent me a replacement. It's not something you'd want to drop onto concrete, but for normal use, it's probably unlikely to be a problem.
But like I said, I'm quite happy with it, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone. It seems like a good design, and with feed prices as high as they are, it may even pay for itself by limiting feed waste.
