Self feeder for chickens or other small livestock

[Elwood Lightfoot]

I recycled and old trashcan and a tire to build a self feeder for my chickens it has worked great for years now it can't rust or rot and bugs can't eat it. it holds around 150lbs of laying pellets.

If you build one like it don't make the mistake I did and use a steel belted tire LOL I had a time cutting the holes in it and with the wires that were exposed I cut up an old water hose and siliconed the pieces around the holes to protect the chickies,

A couple years ago I aquired one of those orange traffic cones (not from the roadside btw ) I was going to screw it to the top of it to keep the chickens from sitting on it but I guess someone needed it more than I did I don't own it anymore, at least they didn't need a chicken feeder also.

I just picked up a couple more trash cans and I have collected a number of old tires in fair shape and if anyone was interested I could build them one not sure what they might be worth as far as selling them but I'm sure we could come up with a resonable price or a good trade maybe.

Building one is actually pretty easy all you need it a hole saw or a way to cut the bottom of the can for feed to come out and a sawsall or jigsaw for the tire (thats the hardest part) a handfull of screws and some silicone.

 

[savingdogs]

Great idea!

 

[dragonlaurel]

Very creative, and it obviously works. I can't have chickens in this place but I will remember this.

 

[pioneergirl]

DH really liked this idea, and so did I! I like the materials used as far as repurposing goes.....nice job!!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

wow! super idea...thanks for sharing!

 

[ellie_may12]

Love that idea! I searched and searched for a feeder that would hold a whole bag of feed before and couldn't find any thing that didn't require woodworking skills. This is perfect!

 

[PunkinPeep]

Wow! That's a great idea - and HUGE!

How many chickens are you feeding with that?

 

[Elwood Lightfoot]

Wow! That's a great idea - and HUGE!

How many chickens are you feeding with that?

Right now I'm feeding 21 hens and two roosters but when I first built it about 13 years ago I had almost 100 chickens that used it. I had built a large wooden box that looked a lot like a doghouse with a flat sloped roof and kept the feeder from the elements. It sat outside the chickens run and the top had a window in it so I could see what was inside the feeder area it opened and rested against the wire and was easy to fill up that way. The wood box went the way of most untreated lumber and rotted and I had to get rid of the chickens but when I get enough material gathered I will set it outside the coop or run again in a new box. I'm going to build one for each of the coops and areas and am building several more, Glad you all liked it and hope you find it as easy to build as I did