Question on the bucket feed system (DIY)

[Beaker99]

Found another half-height block.

My set up looks nearly identical and had been used with much success.

 

[Bestofsmall]

Exactly. Here is a very good video showing the construction procedure (slightly different from mine), but perfectly fine. You can see the chickens feeding in the last minute.

Wow! Really cool. It was neat seeing them eat from it. Mine acted like they were scared to stick their heads into anything! Even one of those trough? Feeders they would eat down to like half then stop eating from it like they didn't want to put head in. Maybe I was just over thinking it . The ones I got are working great tho even 2 wk babies can eat from them.

 

[Toothpick]

Howdy!
If I’ve got 18 chickens how many do you think I’d need? If I went with a large plastic tote. Maybe 4 feeding holes?

Also, how did y’all get your birds to start eating out of them? Kinda just placed food around it so they would take the hint?

Thanks!

 

[TooCheep]

Howdy!
If I’ve got 18 chickens how many do you think I’d need? If I went with a large plastic tote. Maybe 4 feeding holes?

Also, how did y’all get your birds to start eating out of them? Kinda just placed food around it so they would take the hint?

Thanks!

At least 4, maybe 6 if you have space in the tote. I haven't seen any problem getting them to figure it out. Once they get past any initial fear of the big new "thing", they'll be curious and likely take to it very quickly. If you want, you can place a few pellets in each feeding tube and when they see the other pellets in the bottom, they should be okay.

 

[Happy Novogens]

I'm not sure how well that will work. I would turn them around with the bent side outside like a cup. Here's a pic of mine I ordered from TSC for $30.00 got 3 cups was easy to install & came with blade to cut hole. Even baby chicks can eat out of it. I used box from Walmart is med size hold 50 lbs. +

I saw those white cups at TSC yesterday. Looking at the instructions and comparing with your photo, I believe you put the cups in backwards and upside down. Perhaps you did that purposefully.

 

[Bestofsmall]

I saw those white cups at TSC yesterday. Looking at the instructions and comparing with your photo, I believe you put the cups in backwards and upside down. Perhaps you did that purposefully.

We put them the other way first but food just fell out on floor so we switched them around is like a little cup now and they eat from them good of course a tiny bit still gets on floor but not much as it did the other way

 

[Bestofsmall]

We put them the other way first but food just fell out on floor so we switched them around is like a little cup now and they eat from them good of course a tiny bit still gets on floor but not much as it did the other way

Might have put them in wrong but they do work great this way all my crew even babies eat good from them.

 

[Ddlavelle]

Exactly. Here is a very good video showing the construction procedure (slightly different from mine), but perfectly fine. You can see the chickens feeding in the last minute.

That was good video & it looks easy to put one together & the chickens were eating in it without a problem. Thanks

 

[lleeme]

I was able to get square buckets from my local bakery. I bought the 20 feeders from Amazon. The first one I screwed onto a #10 can. Then I decided hanging was better. I have critter problems so I put the caps on a night to prevent loss of feed. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09V7PKJVT?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[TooCheep]

Nice. I like the overhead shield setup on the pipes. It allows them to reach in easily while shielding from any possible weather.