PVC pipe gravity feeders

[frankenchick]

Has anyone here tried the PVC-pipe feeders? I'm thinking of putting these in as the solution to the problem of getting enough feed to the girls, esp. when we are away. I'd hang another feeder, but it's getting a bit crowded in there and the girls have to stay in because of really high winds.

I've seen plans for the feeders, but don't recall anything about how many to install. Assuming a 3' length of pipe for each one (the vertical part, anyway), would 3 of them be enough for 12 hens? How long would the feed last?

 

[wing it]

some info and photos here https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=206562

 

[onthespot]

I got some six inch square vinyl fence post scraps at a yard sale, two four foot sections for $1.00 for both! They work great. I used a bolt cutter and some vise grips to cut and wrangle a hunk out of one side at one end, and just set it in a small, high sided rectangle plastic tub, took a length of hay string and supported the top of the post against the fencing. It is DA freaking BOMB!!! They make end caps for it too, but I need to special order them, because the ones that came with the posts were probably used by the people who bought them new. They hold a LOT of feed, and if the hole isn't big enough, just lift a little bit on the post and the little tub instantly fills! I will try to get pics soon.

 

[LarryPQ]

I have these, which I made 2 of for $12. I filled the bottom with gravel and DE. I have made a few modifications since these pics were taken. I would reccommend you:

1-Not make them so tall you have to lift the bag over your head to fill them.
2-MAKE SURE YOU CAP THE TOPS. Stupid doves.
3-Make them a little shorter. I just bought bigger caps so the feeder is only 5 inches off the ground. The bantys were working WAAAAY to hard.

 

[frankenchick]

LareePQG, that is what I had in mind. How many of them would I need for 12 standard hens?

 

[onthespot]

 

[LarryPQ]

I have 16 standards, and 4 bantys and I use 2 of them. I have seen 4 standards and 2 bantys (standing on top) all using the feeders at the same time.

I also have a HomeDepot 5-gallon bucket feeder on cinderblocks, so I have not seen any squabbling.

 

[chynasparks]

I'm using a 3" pvc pipe and a ferret litter pan. It's working fine but they are still able to kick food out. But I'm not seeing near the waste I was seeing with a hanging feeder. My chickens would bump it, get up under it and feed would go everywhere. ($$). So I made the feeder put it up on a couple of blocks. Still see some feed on the ground and on the blocks. So rather than give up on my feeder I went shopping. I found a dish for $1.99. It's decorated a football and shaped like one. The sides are high so I got it. Slipped it up under the litter pan. It's working well. Flying feed goes into the dish instead of the dirt. I can just scoop it back in the pan when I'm in there. Still getting some in the dirt just not as much.