How to Make an Inexpensive Chicken Feeder to Reduce Waste

Chicken feed has become an expensive resource that we simply can't afford to waste. Jonathan redesigned our chicken feeder to help reduce waste and the amount of time that we spend refilling the feeder.
In this video, Jonathan shows you how he uses simple parts to create a chicken feeder. You can glue the parts together or just pressure fit them. We also glued little caps inside of the feeder just to help reduce waste.
THIS DIDN'T WORK AS WELL AS WE HOPED - check out a better solution at • The Solution to Keepin...
You can find all of the parts to make a pipe chicken feeder at your local hardware store. If you are interested in ready-made chicken feeders, you may want to check out these styles on Amazon.
Royal Rooster Twin Cup Drinker and Feeder amzn.to/3woXQQQ
RentACoop 6-Port All-Weather Metal Poultry Feeder amzn.to/39xEFLG
DIY Chicken Feeder for Buckets, Barrels, Bins, and Troughs amzn.to/39xEFLG
You may also want to check out TheProvidentPrepper.org to learn more about some of the fun things we do on our little homestead.
How to Create a Survival Food Forest in Your Own Backyard
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[@TheProvidentPrepper]

THIS DIDN'T WORK AS WELL AS WE HOPED - check out a better solution at kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5aUpqGEebWJpKs

[@RAMIRELLI-Art]

Sorry to be blant. Chickens hundreds of thousands yrs ago, they survived to this day eating from the ground, drinking water from the streams. All these pipes and couplers are just overboard, unnecessary. My grandmother had a large yard, she used to get corn and throw on the ground and the chickens loved and survived most of their lives. I have 4 Rhode Island Whites. I just got a 2 gallon plasting containers and made holes on the side and they eat just fine. One is feisty and pushes the other hens away. So I got me a 2½ gallon pail, made 2 holes and we are back in business. I put a separator in the middle of the pail so they do not see each other and fight. Not even $15.00 including the pail lid. People are going out of their minds exaggerating and overdoing stuff. The big problem I see with these PVC pipes, the opening is so small and dark inside for the chickens to see. God please help these lost souls.

[@titanpreparedness]

I did this a few years back and my girls seem to love it. It also works well because my ducks have wider mouths so this works for them as well. Good video

[@marvinmulford2536]

I was looking for a waterer an stumbled on your feeder. I built one of these a couple years ago an love it…

[@dragonfly6193]

We use this exact setup. We've got three tubes full of layer pellets and then two smaller tubes on the other side of the run for grit and oyster shell. We fill the pellet feeders once every 5 days or so for 7 hens. Our run is like Fort Knox, so we've never had an issue with mice or other critters getting into the food and so far no issues with bears (knock on wood!)

[@w8stral]

Must be my humid region. I tried this type of feeder and the food rotted in place and I always had to clean it out. I gave up on it. Went back to a trough with a top angled shield to keep them from pooping in it.

[@bobbalcom2658]

I have this same setup after seeing it on KZbin. My own personal review would be this. The chickens still throw the feed all over the place. They have a hard time getting to the feed that's not right at the opening and have to stick thier heads in quite a ways. It does dispense the feed as needed but in my excitement to fill it up, I topped off the two 4 foot tubes with feed and in about 4 or 5 days the feed was gone and a huge mess all over the ground. Great feeder if you're going on a trip but daily I just put one scoop of feed for 5 chickens and one rooster and the feed lasts about two weeks vs. the 5 days it took them to scatter two 40lb bags of feed. I surmise it's the endless supply under the weight of all the rest that empties it quicker than necessary. It's a good feeder but the idea of filling it up and thinking it's okay for more than a week without a huge mess is not realistic. The only benefit to long tubes is if you need to go away for a few days and can't be there to feed them. Would I build another? I'm on the fence about that one. Good points: Feeding can be done from outside the coop, great if you can't feed for a few days Bad points: Feed still gets scattered and can take on moisture. Only one chicken can feed at a time. Not slamming the video or the idea, just giving an honest review.

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

We actually don't like this anymore and moved on to a Grandpa Feeder. It was a great idea in theory :)

[@theimperfectpantry5936]

Thank you very much. This is the 4th or 5th project I will have done from your channel. (As a matter of fact I have raw cabbage in the FD now.) My husband wants me to NOT thank you, as he is now having to build these for me tomorrow.😀

[@lostinvictory8526]

If you have a large bucket or container you can use the 45 angle one with one side coming straight out, close to the bottom, and the other side angling in to the container. Fill the container and the grain wont come out on its own, but the chickens can get their heads in and eat. I have found this to be the cleanest.

[@Chris-Moore501]

Cool idea! My mom just started her own coop so I shared it

[@TS-ls9cp]

I just bought my elbows yesterday. I am hopeful that I can gravity feed from a 50 gallon drum with the elbows as feeding access at bottom. There are examples on youtube - doing something similar with water & nozzles.

[@johnnyscott1042]

I love how you made those feeders.that do save time and money.i would love to make some like that.those are real neat.

[@thebhn]

I was going to build a few of these for supplement feeding. What is the insert you've put in at the bottom?

[@alularussell778]

Well my attention was first caught by the "Y" sweatshirt but I hung in there and was pleasantly surprised to see the "Utes" cup being used too so I'm satisfied now. Good vid too, I need to do that.

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

Lol!

[@rhondag5895]

We just made two of these and similar water holder.

[@morninglight7544]

Cool and thanks! This may be eggs-actly what I need.

[@laurab8547]

I found a bucket at the local ranch store that already had pre-drilled holes in it with attachments that the chickens stick their heads in to get the feed. We needed that set up because a lot of our run is exposed to rain. This bucket system has a hood over the hole that helps keep rain out and the feed dry. Our big girls are so smart, they figured it out right away! We also have 6 babies too and once they are big enough to move into the big coop, I know I will have to pick up one or two more of these feeders. We will probably do some similar system that you show here to where the buckets are inside the run under the coop and the big PVC pipe is outside the coop and runs to the bucket lid so we can easily fill the bucket without having to move it. What funnel did you end up buying? I was thinking a canning funnel would work.

[@ginavandam735]

Great idea!!! I passed it on to my son ...thanks!

[@BonnieBlue2A]

I’ve seen similar feeders used for deer feeders. Let us know if this reduces feed waste by the chickens, please. 😊

[@timothyschwartz4533]

Definitely! I use this setup. I put caps on both ends at night and the field mice (our rats) cannot plunder my feed during the night when they’re active.

[@JFAM077]

My chickens still scratch it out of these

[@andreamillar9141]

These are great! What device do you use for your water for the chickens?

[@cladkerson8479]

Same set up could be used for water except glue the pieces together.

[@TexasScout]

You didn't mention where you got or what you made the little "restrictor" plates in the feeder end.

[@emariewest]

That’s what I’m checking the comments for.

[@DiFish-z6n]

It’s a test cap. Home Depot sells them for under a dollar and you can probably cut one in half and make two! 🤣

[@teamoteoadventures]

very nice video we will create these feeders for our chickens thanks!

[@jodiplock4784]

Great idea

[@GingerNinja4x4]

Great idea! Think I may try that! Blessings to you all 🤗🌻

[@marygallagher3428]

Clever idea Jonathan!

[@sumitram3573]

Super solution

[@derekwalters4980]

We actually do have a "problem" with rats and mice. Although the cats seem to keep them down, we know they're there. Are you going to close the feeding end at night when the hens are sleeping? Then open them up in the morning, or are you just leaving them open?

[@jenniferwestberry8032]

How much did the parts cost?

[@cyumadbrosummit3534]

Be forewarned mounting these outside will see them plugged by a mucky mixture as rainwater mixes with the feed at the j-bend.

[@elaines5179]

Some of the Homesteaders on youtube are wetting, and some even slightly fermenting, the chicken feed, so it goes further and with less waste, and the meat birds gain more weight on the same amount of feed. So do research that. It saves on tha amount of feed they buy. And the healthier flocks all seem to give apple cider vinegar.

[@timothyschwartz4533]

Fermenting only applies to scratch grains! Try to ferment crumble feed and all you’ll get is SOGGY mash!

[@pm648]

Yes, fermenting the feed works fantastic. The fermenting helps it to be more digestible. They use less feed. And there is no waste. This idea has been a game changer for me.

[@pm648]

@@timothyschwartz4533 They don't mind if the feed is soggy.

[@schomestead2591]

Is this still working for you? We made one a while back and the seeds & grains would clog in the curve. Any suggestions for us to get it to work?

[@barrykelly2722]

Are those chickens original or extra crispy?

[@TheRainHarvester]

The first fewvideos on my channel show howto fit pvc together without glue for tight fits...even for water.

[@MelanieAlicia]

Thanks so much fir this idea!! I think i can even do it all by myself 😏 Idea for you: top of a water bottle as funnel 😊

[@Youtuberkit7]

Nice

[@MalluStyleMultiMedia]

Super

[@johnr5545]

Thanks god bless

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

We found a better way to do this. We recommend something like a grandpa feeder.

[@pamgregory4966]

How many chickens do you have for 6 feeders?

[@victorbunch7725]

Here is a funny for ye, U reminded me of w/ur coat w/shorts, There was an old dude back home when i was jes-a-pup, He came by the house one day w/a long sleeve shirt on [mid summer'] w/ one sleeve rolled up as far as it would go and the other down & buttoned at the wrist! I ask him why he had one up & the other down? He said ahh prackly i-gad son one arm is cold!!! I hope you catch the humor in this lil funny!!!

[@jannekezunnenberg1628]

Hi! I’m going to make this!! How many chickens would you recommend per feeder? I don’t want them to make too many of too few 😅 Thanks!

[@SundryTalesOfConstance79WESTY]

Nooice! 😎 STOC

[@amandarichards9564]

We did this years ago, just be aware that smaller chickens will climb in and can possibly get stuck.

[@hoovesandpaws]

I agree. My folks tried this method. But Daddy ended up coming up with a different method that was safer for their little ones.

[@MakelleBell]

@@hoovesandpaws Would you be willing to share the new method? Thanks!

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

@@hoovesandpaws what did he do.

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

I would never have thought of that. Thanks for sharing.

[@hoovesandpaws]

@@MakelleBell He built simple standing boxes attached to a post to keep em from tipping over and they had hinged lids. The opening at the base for each box had a slight lip but what made it effective for feed loss was he built it to where the fall out would go down and to the back side in another feeding area he built so feed loss was minimal as were injuries. I think what kept injuries down was he used a mesh where the feed would go thru but nothing could get inside. I wish I had taken pictures. But I was young and didn't think along those lines. They had alot of chickens!

[@georgetippner7940]

switch from crumble to pellets

[@swfswf50]

Why are you using pressure pipe?

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

These actually don't work as well as we had hoped. We moved to a Grandpa feeder that works much better. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5aUpqGEebWJpKs

[@timothyschwartz4533]

One BIG mistake! I built these for my chickens a while back... What you need to fix: DON’T put the 90 on first! Put the 45 on first, then the 90. Doing this allows the feed to be more accessible to the chickens (without waste). My hens didn’t care how it was built, they stuck their heads in, but my Roosters definitely had a problem! They wouldn’t bury their heads that deep because of the large combs they had. Make this one change and both hens and roosters will be happy!

[@jillkallas6027]

No one ever states how high up off the floor they position it? And have you had any issues with rodents getting in it?

[@eddiecenteno8]

I don't know any feeders that don't waste.

[@Swearengen1980]

Use pellets and then it doesn't matter if they knock it into the dirt. They'll clean it up off the ground once they're done with the traditional feeder. Mash IMO is a useless feed. As for the setup, in my experience, in the same way that hens don't need much roosting or laying space because they huddle together as tight as possible, so to is it for food. 6 separate tiny feeder where they have to stick their head a few inches into the PVC, I think you're likely to see instances where multiple hens are at the same feeder fighting over it (if they choose to feed at the same time). A traditional 360 degree feeder is simply the way to go, you just over complicated it by your choice of feed. - Life long country boy.

[@sandradelvecchio6894]

We made one. It wasn’t cheap. The neck of it clogged at the bottom, the feed wouldn’t fall down to where they could get their head in. They had to stick their heads in too far and and they would not do it. I know it works for ppl. Didn’t for us.

[@zqsosa09]

That didn’t work me

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

It actually didn't work well for us either after a while. We changed to Grandpa Feeders.

[@Jimmythepin]

Your finished product has an anti-spill guard in the bottom. You did not talk about that, or demonstrate how it was made. That is a critically important part of this build.

[@brianleduc2244]

I seen that was installed aswell!! Still with that ,, the system is still a bad design as the chickens still able to pull the feed out and on to the ground !! I'll rate that a feed distribution as a failure

[@elekkr]

Would have been nice if shown how the chicken feeding out of these ....FAIL

[@sumitram3573]

Super solution

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

It doesn't work as well as we originally hoped that it would.