No waste feeder for non-handy newbies

[ninafe]

Hello from a fellow first time chicken owner. Our story started with us moving from the city to the suburb for more space and driving by a Tractor Supply on our way home. “What’s a tractor supply? Let’s go look. It says Chick Day! You think they have chicken in there?!” Next thing I knew I came home with four chicks (really wanted just one but it was a minimum purchase of 4- now I see why because they are all besties). So that started my journey of “OMG why are they wasting so much food?!”

After buying, trying, and returning four different kinds of feeders, I resorted to this forum to see if there’s a cure and read up on all the articles that say ‘easy DIY no waste feeder’. Well…. easy is a relative term. We are not handy at all and don’t have any tools to cut or drill. But an article I read here inspired me to make my TRULY easy version.

I bought one of those very filmy plastic food containers (the ones that you KNOW you shouldn’t microwave for too long) so I can simply cut with a kitchen scissor. I measured 2 inch from the bottom and just cut a square from there to the top on both sides. Then I put the lid back on, a cover of press n' seal for any poopage, and something weighted and random on top to discourage the chicks from chilling there. I also taped over the freshly cut rims to minimize injury. So far so good!

This is probably silly to a lot of people. BUT I KNOW there’s someone out there that has zero experience in building or fixing things and is looking through the articles thinking to yourself "wth is a PVC pipe and where do I get them?" This is the one for you!!

 

[SilverBirds]

It's not silly. Very smart way of making a no-mess feeder. Great job!

 

[sewchick]

That is a great idea for chicks and I will probably use that idea until they are a little bigger, then I am going to the home depot and buying some pvc pipe and I am going make a pipe feeder. I have seen them on youtube. They do not look too hard. I will also have to come up with a watering system. That should be fun "not".

 

[ninafe]

That is a great idea for chicks and I will probably use that idea until they are a little bigger, then I am going to the home depot and buying some pvc pipe and I am going make a pipe feeder. I have seen them on youtube. They do not look too hard. I will also have to come up with a watering system. That should be fun "not".

I am still struggling with watering system... They don't waste water.. they just fling pine shavings all over it and poop in it...

 

[Happy hen lover]

Hello from a fellow first time chicken owner. Our story started with us moving from the city to the suburb for more space and driving by a Tractor Supply on our way home. “What’s a tractor supply? Let’s go look. It says Chick Day! You think they have chicken in there?!” Next thing I knew I came home with four chicks (really wanted just one but it was a minimum purchase of 4- now I see why because they are all besties). So that started my journey of “OMG why are they wasting so much food?!”

After buying, trying, and returning four different kinds of feeders, I resorted to this forum to see if there’s a cure and read up on all the articles that say ‘easy DIY no waste feeder’. Well…. easy is a relative term. We are not handy at all and don’t have any tools to cut or drill. But an article I read here inspired me to make my TRULY easy version.

I bought one of those very filmy plastic food containers (the ones that you KNOW you shouldn’t microwave for too long) so I can simply cut with a kitchen scissor. I measured 2 inch from the bottom and just cut a square from there to the top on both sides. Then I put the lid back on, a cover of press n' seal for any poopage, and something weighted and random on top to discourage the chicks from chilling there. I also taped over the freshly cut rims to minimize injury. So far so good!

This is probably silly to a lot of people. BUT I KNOW there’s someone out there that has zero experience in building or fixing things and is looking through the articles thinking to yourself "wth is a PVC pipe and where do I get them?" This is the one for you!!

This is a great idea , and I sent off for a rent a coop brand feeder . It only takes a drill comes with the hole saw and all parts needed to turn a tote or 5 gallon bucket into no waste feeder. They also sell horizontal nipples that I use on ice cream buckets. Takes new chicks awhile to figure them out but they stay clean and no dirty waterers! Chicks are messy even when you lift waterers! Check them out if you want to.

 

[luckycluk]

That is a great idea for chicks and I will probably use that idea until they are a little bigger, then I am going to the home depot and buying some pvc pipe and I am going make a pipe feeder. I have seen them on youtube. They do not look too hard. I will also have to come up with a watering system. That should be fun "not".

I made two of the pvc pipe feeders I found directions for off YouTube and I but a five gal. Bucket with lid and drilled appropriate size holes(2) and installed 2 nipple cups best thing I’ve done so far. Makes thins so much simpler. Here is a pic it’s not real good but if you look to right in pic you can see the feeders on each side of the watered bucket.

 

[luckycluk]

That is a great idea for chicks and I will probably use that idea until they are a little bigger, then I am going to the home depot and buying some pvc pipe and I am going make a pipe feeder. I have seen them on youtube. They do not look too hard. I will also have to come up with a watering system. That should be fun "not".

I have two I made in my coop/run. Im not handy the hardest part is fitting right size pipes together. Also there is expensive pvc pipe and some that isn’t at lowes . Have someone that is patient with you tgat works at lowes. Also remember to get the metal thing a ma jigs to hang them with . You screw them into the wood. There is directions on you tube to make them. Good luck n post some pics
Im gonna see if I have some pics of mine I also found on you tube how to make a simple water out of 5 gal. Bucket and 2 of the nipple cups I believe you can see it in one of the pics

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

This is a great idea , and I sent off for a rent a coop brand feeder . It only takes a drill comes with the hole saw and all parts needed to turn a tote or 5 gallon bucket into no waste feeder. They also sell horizontal nipples that I use on ice cream buckets. Takes new chicks awhile to figure them out but they stay clean and no dirty waterers! Chicks are messy even when you lift waterers! Check them out if you want to.

I recently

This is a great idea , and I sent off for a rent a coop brand feeder . It only takes a drill comes with the hole saw and all parts needed to turn a tote or 5 gallon bucket into no waste feeder. They also sell horizontal nipples that I use on ice cream buckets. Takes new chicks awhile to figure them out but they stay clean and no dirty waterers! Chicks are messy even when you lift waterers! Check them out if you want to.

I recently ordered the same no waste feeder things and got it put together with a large container. I was disappointed because they are still able to pull out feed all over the ground but I can control how many I leave open, so it is better than the traditional feeders.

 

[luckycluk]

The 5 gal. Bucket water with the nipple cups has worked out so good for us I am going to make another one once I get both lil flocks intergrate. The feeders I made also has made are lives so much easier. When I had chickens 7 years ago I had the kind you hang up or set up on bricks it was so much work cleaning n filling them everyday but now we make sure the bucket is full and nipples cups are clean, we make sure the feed has came down the pipes in the feeders and we are good to go. We fill both once a week , sometimes top them off. And we give them a lil treat of greens or something. Best to things I’ve did to make life easier taking care of my chicken Friends