Today I got the gear to build a 4" pvc pipe feeder. Actually, 2. I will have one for crumble, and one for cracked corn.
I completed the construction of both and installed one, and put the cracked corn in it. I still had to give it a little shake to get the flow to the end of the horizontal pipe.
I put a shelf above the vertical pipe with space access to the top of the pipe. On the shelf will rest two 5 gallon buckets which will hold backup feed. This may be overdoing it a bit. We'll see!
I was pleased to get a steal of a deal at the recycled materials place. All the elbows and a long pipe cost me only $3.50!
I have a question for all 4" pipe feeder people. How do you fill them without getting feed spilled all over. I tried filling mine with my normal feed bucket and I had more feed on the ground than I got in the feeder.
Funnels work great. I have 3" pipes, and use a 4" > 3" reducer as a funnel. Gives more room to pour. But then, I use a plastic container that I can squeeze the sides in to channel it a little more, too.
i just cup my and around part of it...and today i discovered that i have a scoop thats a little more pointy on the end than the other one and the one works better
I fill my 4" pipe with a 4-cup plastic measuring cup from the dollar store...because it flexes you can get the feed in without spillage. I hope we'll see more pics in this thread, some nifty ideas...
Beau coop ( I love your nic)- I like the 60 deg angle, but keep in mind my birds are all the same age. Chicks might pile in and have probs and not good for ducks. But then, modifying the end piece is possible in various ways...
My DH designed a great one for one of our coops. The coop is built against an existing shed, so they share one wall. He drilled a hole in the shared wall and angled the pvc feeder so I could fill it from inside the shed and out of the weather. He put one of the metal feeders on the end.
I use one of the pointed scoops to fill it. When I do, I put the feed bucket under the top so any spillage fall into the bucket.