Building a Bulk Chicken Feeder: A Do-It-Yourself Manual for People with Poultry Interest

Farming is a very fulfilling business if done right, especially if it is to supply ones table with eggs, meat and above all the fulfillment of having kept the alert birds. A fundamental part of the chicken’s welfare is feed / feeding system, which needs to be a dependable and optimally productive. A better feed for bulk chicken feeder is the best solution for those who want a fast, efficient and effective feeding process. Since many folks are interested, I will discuss the advantages of a bulk chicken feeder, the necessary materials for building the feeder, and procedures to assemble the high-quality feeder on your own.

Advantages of a Bulk Chicken Feeder

Reduced Waste: Mechanical feeders such as the tradition feeders are disadvantageous because the chickens always scratch and spill their feed. A bulk feeder reduces this wastage by offering a small enclosed area for the feed; in this case the chickens eat in a controlled manner without spilling it all over the place.

Convenience: A bulk feeder enables you to store more feed at once so as to refill it less often. This is quite advantageous especially to people with many chickens or those with very many birds in the flock.

Cost-Effective: You automatically save money if you rely on a bulk feeder where you can buy feed in large quantities. Since feed is cheaper when bought in bulk, a good feeder will enable you draw maximum benefit out of the investment since less of it is wasted.

Healthier Chickens: A bulk feeder can afford to keep a cleaner feeding system that can prevent feed from becoming moldy or contaminated with other diseases. This is important for the welfare of your chickens as high standards of hygiene when feeding your chickens will ensure minimal contracting of diseases.

What You Will Need When Constructing a Large Chicken Feeder at Home

Before you begin your DIY project, gather the following materials:

Plastic Storage Container: A main body of the feeder will be a large, food-grade plastic container with a lid, for example, a 5-gallon bucket or a storage tote.

PVC Pipe: For feeding trough, PVC pipe about 2-3 inch in diameter will have to be cut out to a specified length. It is going to dictate by the number of chickens which you feed and also how much feed you intend to dish out.

PVC End Caps: Two caps for its both ends of the PVC pipe to avoid feed to fall when passing through it.

Drill: Power drill with its correct accessory: a drill bit ideal for making hole in the plastic and PVC.

Hacksaw: For making incisions on the PVC pipe, so that the pipe can be easily cut to its required size.

Feed: Which kind refers to your chicken feed either pellets or crumbles.

Optional: Paint or if you wish to use a weather proof sealing agent to enhance the outlook or protect the feeder from destructive weather.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the Container: The first step you can take towards storing is washing the plastic container that you intend to use for storage properly to ensure that it has no unwanted visitors. If you are using a container with a lid make sure that it will seal well to prevent insects and other pests from getting in.

Cut the PVC Pipe: With the hacksaw, you can saw through the PVC pipe to whatever length you wish to use. Small flock of birds requires a length of 2-3 feet which should suffice the needs of most birds. The pipe will act as the feeder so make sure it is long enough to allow many chickens to feed at a go.

Drill Holes: Make an alignment of holes on the length of the PVC pipe. These holes should allow the chickens to be able to get at the feed and at the same time should not be too big allowing the feed to run through it. Diameter measurement ranging between 1-2 inches is normally ideal. The holes should be provided at a reasonable interval whereby several chickens can eat at the same time.

Attach the End Caps: The feed may fall out from both ends of the pipe so place an end cap on each end of the PVC pipe. It will also ensure that feed is restricted within the pipe.

Create the Feeder Base: Drill a hole in one half of the lid of the plastic storage container should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the PVC pipe. It will also create a channel to give the pipe a proper fit that fits the container while at the same time noting the feed securely.

Assemble the Feeder: Fit another PVC pipe in the hole that you make in the lid of the storage container. Make sure that those holes you put when drilling are in the downward position for the feed to flow in the trough. The tubular container will contain the large portion of the feed and the pipe forms the feed cone.

Fill with Feed: Once a feeder is constructed, place chicken feed that you want your chickens to consume in the storage container. Stow a lid on top to avoid being infested by insects and to preserve it as fresh as possible.

Place the Feeder: Place the major portion of the bulk chicken feeder diy in an appropriate feeding area of the chicken house or the run. Make sure that it is within reach of your chickens and that they should be able to well extend to the feeding trough.

Conclusion

The building of a bulk chicken feeder is a fun and useful project that is sure to improve your chicken farming experience. In terms of the efficiency of the identified advantages, a bulk feeder may be extraordinary useful for you and your flock. Using only a few materials and some basic equipment it is possible to construct a practical and effective feeding system for your chickens. Not only is this project cheaper in the long run, but you getting to choose all the features of the feeder to your desire. The fact is that, in some cases, online shopping is much more important than a physical one. If there are problems with receiving an identical product you purchased, you have to use a reliable site such as pet supply store near me. Growing your chickens whether in a small backyard or having a large commercial farm operation, a one-bulk chicken feeder can help save on time and increase the wellbeing of your birds. Pay the actual satisfaction of realizing you put something useful for your poultry and benefit from the improved feed for your flock.