How to Make an Automatic Chicken Feeder

Trash can chicken feeder

Happy hens produce more eggs, so there’s no excuse not to make them their very own, custom-made chicken feeder. By designing a feeder that distributes chicken feed on its own, you will save time and save waste. Although an automated feeder may seem sophisticated, it is a low-cost and very straightforward option to optimize your setup. While the size of the feeder should be determined by the number of hens you maintain, the fundamental procedure for creating a feeder will remain the same.

1. Prepare Your Pieces

1. Purchase a low-cost huge bin. Attempt to get a large container without wheels. Because the feed holes will be towards the bottom, a wheeled bin may interfere with the feed holes you wish to build. A 30 gallon garbage can should store 150 pounds of poultry feed.

• Pick up six pipe elbows and six pipe end caps while you’re at the hardware shop.

2. Create a mark on the bin where you want to make the holes. Using a marker, draw circles the same diameter as your PVC pipes to define your desired feeding holes. Make sure your markings are evenly spaced. This will increase the efficiency of your feeder.

• These holes should be situated towards the bin’s bottom.
• The markings should indicate the location of where the saw should begin.

3. Using a hole saw, make holes. Using a hole saw, make the holes at the bottom of the bin. When you buy a hole saw, be sure the diameter matches the pipe you’re going to use. Six holes should be drilled for a 30 gallon garbage can.

• If you’re utilizing a smaller bin, you should utilize fewer apertures to accommodate the size of the bin.
• It’s a good idea to turn the hole saw backwards. This will result in a more precise cut.

4. Make holes on the interior of the pipe fittings. Cut the bottom two inches of the pipe at a 150-degree angle. The grain will be able to enter the bin via these windows.

5. Fill the holes with pipe fittings. Once you’ve cut the necessary perforations in the rear of each pipe fitting, position them so that they protrude from the holes you produced with the hole saw. Fit them from the inside out by reaching into the container. It’s best to do this right after drilling the holes and altering the pipes. If your holes aren’t large enough, you may enlarge them slightly using a precision knife. Excess gaps may be filled with caulking if necessary.

• The PVC pipe’s “female” end should fit inside the feeding bin.

6. Pipe caps may be used to make grain windows. A grain window should find a balance between giving the hens access to the grain and preventing it from spilling out of the feeder. Remove the top two-thirds of each of your pipe tops. When the time comes, you’ll put them on the feeder holes, with the remaining third of the cap on the bottom.

• This may be accomplished using a precision knife.
• It’s a good idea to sand down the cut edges to avoid roughness.
• Providing a “window” (rather than an open hole) will prevent the hens from wasting feed needlessly.

2. Feeder Assembling

1. Install the modified pipe covers on the pipes. The modified pipe caps (two-thirds of the front removed) are meant to function as a grain window. Attach these to the insides of your PVC feeder holes. Make the bottom third as level to the ground as possible. Chickens will poke their heads in, and an uneven window might make it harder for them to get to the grain.

2. Caulk around the borders to keep water out. Water has the potential to ruin your grain. Squeeze a caulking tube around the outer edge where the PVC tube and bin connect, especially if you’re managing your hens in a rainy location. This will assist to seal the cracks, preventing moisture from entering while the feeder is not in use.

3. Wooden blocks are used to secure the feeder. If you’re worried that your bin may be relocated or tumble out of position, attach blocks of wood to it to secure it in place. This is an optional step since larger bins should be organically fastened by the weight of the chicken meal.

4. Set the trashcan on top of concrete slabs. By elevating the bin, you’ll be able to set the feeding apertures at a relative head level with the hens. This also keeps the grain away from the ground level, where dirt and grime may get mixed up with the grain.

5. Put a cover on the bin. A cover on your poultry feeder helps ensure that nothing unpleasant falls in. It’s also a good idea if there’s a chance of rain getting in and ruining the grain. The majority of trash cans will come with a pre-fitted cover.

6. Feed the hens. Place your feeder in an area where your hens will have easy access to it. Remove the cover of the feeder and fill it with grain by the bucketful. Because the weight of the grain may be utilized to balance the feeder, you should maintain the feeder at least half-full.

7. If required, make modifications. After you’ve installed the feeder, keep an eye on how the hens respond to it. Make an attempt to identify any possible issues, whether they are related to the accessibility of the grain or the stability of the feeder. If you see an error, you may make the necessary changes.