Water spills out of the holes and fills the pan or bowl. The holes need to be low enough on the can or bucket so that they are not higher than the lip of the pan or bowl. Drill holes around the base of the can or bucket and then set it into a deep pan or bowl. This system is similar to the 5-gallon bucket chicken feeder. Here are a few ideas to get you started:Ĭan & Pan System: A simple DIY chicken waterer can be made using a large can or bucket and a sturdy pan or feed bowl. Make sure your DIY chicken waterer is easy to clean and that it stays free of debris like chicken poop or coop litter. Since we are on the topic of DIY, you may find it helpful to know that you can build a DIY chicken water for your backyard flock, too! As with DIY chicken feeders, DIY chicken water systems can come in all shapes and sizes. Make sure you mount enough PVC elbows into the tote so that at least half your flock can eat at the same time.

You will need a large tote, PVC elbows, PVC glue, and an electric saw to cut holes in the plastic tote. The PVC elbows are mounted into the sides of the plastic tote to allow a chicken to stick their head into the elbows and access feed stored inside. Plastic Tote Feeders: Another simple DIY chicken feeder system can be fashioned out of plastic totes and a few PVC elbows. The pedal system helps prevent feed waste and keeps rodents and wild birds out of the feeder. The rectangle box stores the feed and automatically fills the trough as the chickens eat the feed. A treadle feeder is basically a rectangle box with a pedal that a chicken can step on to open a lid and access a trough filled with feed. Use a lid for the 5-gallon bucket to keep the feed clean and dry.ĭIY Treadle Feeder: If you are feeling a little more crafty, try making your own DIY treadle chicken feeder. You can fill the bucket with feed that then spills out of the holes drilled around the base of the bucket and fills the pan or bowl. A common set-up is to drill holes around the base of a 5-gallon bucket and then set it in a large foil roasting pan, a metal hog feed pan, or a large livestock feed bowl. The top of the box should have a hinged lid so that the feeder can easily be filled.ĥ-Gallon Bucket Feeders: Large 5-gallon buckets can be fashioned into numerous styles of automatic chicken feeders.

The bottom of the box should be open to allow food to fill the trough. To make a gravity feeder, you need to build a tall rectangle box with an angled trough at the bottom. Gravity Chicken Feeder : A simple automatic gravity chicken feeder can be made using plywood, as long as you have some common tools to cut and assemble the feeder, like a saw, drill, and screws. Look for street 90 PVC to use when building a DIY PVC chicken feeder. Other supplies you need to build a DIY PVC chicken feeder include pipe straps, PVC pipe glue, PVC T’s, and 45° Y PVC connectors.

The pipes can be connected using various PVC elbows, caps, and adaptors to create a self-filling automatic chicken feeder. PVC Feeder : PVC chicken feeders are usually made using 3-4” PVC drain pipes. Here are some ideas for how to make a DIY chicken feeder: However, most DIY chicken feeders can be put together using just a few simple skills. The tools and supplies you use may depend on what you have available and how much you want to learn. There are many ways you can make a simple chicken feeder for your flock. Since many DIY chicken feeder systems use upcycled or inexpensive materials, making your own chicken feeder can help you save money on buying a feeder for your flock! However, for your convenience, make sure the DIY feeder is easy to clean, accessible for emptying and refilling, and able to hold enough feed to last your flock for at least one to two days. Whether or not you are a crafty DIYer, learning how to make a simple chicken feeder for your backyard flock is easy! Chickens are pretty flexible when it comes to how you serve their food.

Diy chicken feeder tote