Have you ever closely watched your chickens eat? If you have, you know that they are messy eaters.
It doesn’t seem like a big deal at first, but the cost of chicken feed definitely adds up. It bothered me that so much of the feed was being wasted. In addition, I didn’t like having to put the chicken feeder in the cramped coop, but I knew if I left it outside, it would only be a matter of time before the rain would spoil the feed. I searched for a solution, but didn’t find any that seemed to be in a reasonable price range.
There had to be a way to build a no waste, rainproof feeder that wouldn’t break the bank. Long story short, after lots of failed tries, I came up with a feeder that was everything I wanted. The design is so simple, yet so functional. I opted for a transparent box so I could easily see how much feed is inside. I designed two hoods out of plastic and wrapped them around 90° PVC elbows. The chickens could poke their heads into the feeding ports (elbows) and not spill any food they ate. Boom!
It only got better.
Mouse Test
Once I started to use this feeder, I noticed I no longer had mouse droppings mixed in with the chickens’ feed. This had been a constant source of angst for me–who is okay with their chickens eating mouse poop? Not to mention that every time I opened the coop door, a mouse would scurry away. Yuck.
So not only did the new feeder seem to prevent mice from getting to the feed, but now that I could place it directly in the run (since it was rainproof), the mice left the coop. No more food, no more mice. I still wondered though if mice could somehow get into the feeder. After all, I was leaving it overnight in the run with the two ports uncovered. Surely a mouse would be able to get in.
So I tested the feeder with mice. I bought two mice, put them inside of a large totes box with the feeder, and smeared peanut butter on the surface of the ports. That way I’d surely be able to tell if a mouse got in. After four days, the mice had not so much as licked the peanut butter.
Impressed as I was, I wasn’t sure that the feeder was mouse-proof. Maybe it was a fluke–perhaps I just got two unambitious mice. What would be REALLY impressive would be to repeat the same experiment for a week with TEN mice.
This gave me ample opportunity to really see what was really going on. The mice could certainly smell the peanut butter. But as they tried to climb up the cinder block that the feeder was placed on, they were stopped. Their little front paws would just go around in circles on the smooth plastic of the feeder, unable to get a toe-hold. And even though mice can certainly jump that high, they they never jumped in. The only reason I could come up with is that mice jump straight up and down. Jumping into a port would have required them to jump up and over. Whatever the reason, after a week, I declared my feeder the winner.
Specifics
- This feeder holds over six gallons of feed, so you don’t need to fill it very often. It holds 34 lbs. of pellet feed, and 37 lbs. of mash. I have used both, and they both work fine. Occasionally you do need to thump it to get the feed to fall evenly underneath the ports.
- You will need to put this feeder some sort of base or stand (like a cinder block). Six-eight inches high is about right for full-grown chickens. The dimensions of the feeder are 17 L X 11.5 W X 12 H.
- Chickens are not shy about sticking their heads in the ports to get food! It comes with two ports, limiting squabbles over who eats first.
- Six to eight chickens can use this feeder
- Newly hatched chicks can fall in the ports and get stuck. They can safely use it at about six weeks old, although not on an 8″ stand (it would not be mouse proof until it is raised 6-8 inches off the ground).
- I have been testing several of these throughout the winter and after, and none have cracked. However, if you live in Minnesota or North Dakota, this may not be the feeder for you.
- A DIY “port-only” version of this feeder is available
Assembly
To assemble the feeder, follow these instructions:
- Push the port inside the feeder.
That’s it. There is a notch on top of the port that locks it in place once it’s inside the feeder.
Feedback
I have been selling this feeder locally for almost a year now, and I have some very happy customers. This is some of the feedback I have received (I promise I’m not making this up):
My girls love the new feeder and waterer! Thanks a million! –Michelle
I HAVE LOVED MY CHICKEN FEEDERS. Oh my gosh. I have not had to feed my girls every day, I haven’t wasted any feed, the chicks ALL learned how to get their fill. One of THE best investments I’ve made for my chickens. No waste! –Carol
It is fantastic! Thank you very much! –Lesly
My mom got one from you earlier, and says I should get one too. –Amber
I wish I had gotten this years ago. –Steve
I love the feeders I bought from you. It has worked well for my ducks. –Tammy
I have saved SO MUCH MONEY. I am not kidding. I would have gone through two more bags of feed by now. Still not through the one I bought. –Carol
I’m telling you, your feeder makes waste pretty nonexistent. It is also great at keeping water out. Awesome sauce! –Marlo
Amy! We bought a feeder from you last week and love it. –Cindy
I got a mouse-proof feeder on sale for Father’s Day at IFA, and yours is still a better deal. –Darlene
It works great! The chickens can’t flick the food everywhere! –Lori
The feeder is amazing. I keep thinking the chickens are not eating. The food lasts so much longer! –Todd
I LOVE this feeder! I use mash and it used to be scattered all over, and I had a big issue with mice! Since using this awesome feeder, there is no more food scattered everywhere, and best of all NO MICE! And our feed costs have gone down dramatically! Thank you for sharing your feeder skills with us! –Cheri
Works great, my hens love it, and I don’t have food everywhere. –Jan
The chicken feeder is awesome!!! I bet you could sell 50 of those to the farmers around me. –Alana
I’m a believer! –Heather (bought one and came back for two more).
My turkeys are using the feeders! It’s been a huge improvement. So far, even the sparrows haven’t discovered them, and the new feeders work wonders in reducing the mess. I just wanted to let you know that I love your ingenuity in helping us to solve a common problem with poultry. Thank you! –Rosalind
The feeder and waterer have been very accommodating for my lazy chicken farming. –Michelle