Make your own - No waste - 5 gallon (25# feed) bucket feeder for about $3

[Chickengene]

Nice I like that. I have a few dozen totes I could use. Rek'n the clear ones would be alright?
Be nice to be able to observe the feed situation from the back window if needed.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

That looks clean. Have you tried it?
Does the food feed them all fairly well?

Yes, it has been in use for almost 2 years now. Works wonderfully.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Nice I like that. I have a few dozen totes I could use. Rek'n the clear ones would be alright?
Be nice to be able to observe the feed situation from the back window if needed.

they would work, yes, in fact that is what a lit of folks use. I chose solid for two reasons....first I prevent light exposure to the feed and second because the materiel of the flexible plastic holds up better than the stiffer plastic of the clear totes I had, especially under direct sunlight exposure

 

[Chickengene]

they would work, yes, in fact that is what a lit of folks use. I chose solid for two reasons....first I prevent light exposure to the feed and second because the materiel of the flexible plastic holds up better than the stiffer plastic of the clear totes I had, especially under direct sunlight exposure

I was curious about the possible UV on the feed.

 

[crowdofmyself]

Question: Would the 2-inch pipe work with standard hens? Or is that too small. I bought 2-inch because I saw a YouTube video using 2-inch, but now I'm concerned it won't work. What size hole saw would work with 2-inch pipe?

 

[paneubert]

Question: Would the 2-inch pipe work with standard hens? Or is that too small. I bought 2-inch because I saw a YouTube video using 2-inch, but now I'm concerned it won't work. What size hole saw would work with 2-inch pipe?

I think 2 inch may be a bit tight for some of the larger birds. Or even mid size birds with large combs. 3 inch seems to be the sweet spot. I went with 4 inch....for no real specific reason.

 

[crowdofmyself]

Thanks so much for your input. I'd better get busy getting the 3 inch. My little peeps are growin'.

 

[KSH1]

I think 2 inch may be a bit tight for some of the larger birds. Or even mid size birds with large combs. 3 inch seems to be the sweet spot. I went with 4 inch....for no real specific reason.

Do you think the 4" is too big? I've got Jersey Giants and Brahmas coming and I don't want to squish them!

 

[RoosterML]

Do you think the 4" is too big? I've got Jersey Giants and Brahmas coming and I don't want to squish them!

I use 2” for chicks starting at 2nd week.
I made one with 3” which was great for hens but rooster didn’t like it.
Now I have 4” for everyone to share.
3” is currently being used by 6 week old chicks.
2” currently in use with 3 week olds, no don’t use 2” for full grown.

 

[paneubert]

Posted my feeder build on page 121, but just got around to making some "plugs" for the feeding ports. This is what I was hoping to be able to use for plugs.

My problem is that I used 4 inch pipes for my feeder, but all the various expanding rubber "test plugs" you can buy seemed to be just barely too small to fit. Biggest I could find was claimed to be for a 4 inch pipe.....but they must have meant 4 inches outside diameter, not inside diameter since even when pushed beyond how much it should expand, it was loose. Guess plumbers don't ever need to pressure test 4 inch pipes....

I was then hoping I could find some end caps that would fit, but those are also 4 inch inside diameter, not outside. So my caps were the exact same size as my elbows.
But since those did not work, I made these....

They look ridiculous! Haha.

Just hacked off a couple inches of 4 inch PVC pipe and then glued the end caps onto it. The short section of pipe goes into the feeder ports and closes things off. Plan to use these if I need to medicate my flock or otherwise prevent them from feeding from this feeder.