self feeders how to make a cheap one

[Momo]

My neighbour made one very like the bucket design ... out of a full sized garbage can. Instead of having a garbage can full of feed to be scooped into the feeder, the garbage can serves as both bulk storage *and* feeder. Obviously this works best when you have a large roofed run to put it in.

 

[briteday]

We also have a regular outdoor garbage can as our feeder. Since we are in a dry climate I can use the plastic type. I would be cautious about that in a more humid environment. I had an extra lid from a previously broken garbage can and used that underneath the "feeder can" as the food tray. So on the new garbage can the lid for filling is on top. And although you can put about 200 pounds of food in it, I don't recommend it. The plastic is not strong enough to hold the weight (especially after you drill out some holes around the bottom) and it sort of crushes down on itself. Also be sure to have the can braced to a wall or such so that it doesn't fall over on the chickens. I set ours up on cinder blocks. And with the second lid turned up as the feeding dish there is very little waste. I also throw in a few mouse traps on the top of the food, but so far there is no evidence of mice or anything else in the coop. We had a problem this summer and spent a few hours putting expanding foam into the holes.

For an automatic waterer we bought the nipples from FarmTek. I bought a common tolet float valve and connector hose at the hardware store. I drilled a hole for the valve in the center bottom of a 5 gallon bucket, attached the connector hose (one end is whatever the size of the toilet float valve needs and the other end is 3/4" to connect to common garden hose), drilled the holes for the nipples around the bottom edge of the bucket (be sure they are on the bottom, not the sides, I learned the hard way on a smaller waterer that gravity feed will cause side mounted nipples to leak until the water is gone), then screwed onto the garden hose. If you have a dedicated hose bib to attach it to it will fill automatically. I turn on the hose a couple of times each week and re-fill the bucket. Every few months you need to get the green stuff out of the bucket with a quick scrub. We put a cheap, small aquarium heater in it for the winter, I think it runs about 50 watts. It's on a long extension cord to the nearest outdoor lamp fixture where my husband screwed in a fixture that allows a plug in to be used. We turn on the light switch to that fixture before bed and the chickens wake up to liquid water every morning.

 

[Sandara]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/91996_trash_can_feeder.jpg
I got the supplies to make this one yesterday! Our flock will be over an hour away so I got the largest can and it should hold about 100#. I am using a double Y and a elbows before attatching the trough, hopefully this will flow better. Our land is near Rough River, Kentucky.

 

[Abirdbrain]

I am a recycler at heart, so I use catlitter buckets and Pvc Pipe to create feeders and waterers. 3 and 4 inch PVC down to an elbo that has a short nipple on it , about a foot with the top split and heat bent is easy to do. My tractor coops are in the weather, so making a cover the hens can get under is the challenge. No wasted feed is the goal. I use some squarish bukets in the yard with a 3x6 inch cutout in the side for water. about 5 inches deep, it prevents them from pooping in the water like most fountains. I have Nipple setups in the tractor coops and keep them about 4 gallon full when servicing, and it works perfectly so far. The pipe is on 2x4 standoffs to get away from wet frames below, fed by a piece of old garden hose to the salvaged PVC 3/4 pipe. If it works, I use it, free is good, easy is better.

 

[bama bigboy]

I use the 5 gal. bucket for my feed and water also.

 

[Country Girl Wannabe]

This a great idea, you just answered my question are how much to feed the chickens, just fill up the bucket and wait until it is emptye