Did you know that you could make an inexpensive and easy chicken feeder out of PVC pipes? Well, let me tell you all about it.
If you search enough, you will find dozens of chicken feeders online or in local stores. Although I had purchased a few and tested them on my chickens in the farm, I was never quite satisfied with the results. While some of them were too expensive, others used toxic ingredients which I didn’t want around my poultry.
Soon enough, I decided to build my own chicken feeder using PVC pipes. Fortunately, I had a few PVC pipes lying around the garage from a previous project. I got to work quickly, and was able to create some excellent chicken feeders which were inexpensive, long-lasting, easy to fill, and looked great too.
Hi! I’m Stacy. Today, I will share with you my tips on how to make chicken feeder out of PVC pipe. It is simple, doesn’t cost much, and is an excellent solution for feeding your chickens.
So without further ado, let’s begin!
How To Make Chicken Feeder Out Of PVC Pipes
Step 1 - Finding The Right Materials
The first step is finding the right materials. You will find various PVC pipe designs, however, choosing the right one is imperative. This may happen after some trial and error, as you will notice that every chicken does not prefer eating in the same way. Just like humans, chickens have very strong personalities, likes and dislikes.
If you can afford the time and materials, you can choose to try a couple of PVC pipe designs to see which one they prefer. After some amount of trial and error, I settled on a PVC drain pipe and a curved pipe for my chicken feeder.
Materials Required -
- 10-inch long piece of 3-inch PVC drain pipe
- 3-inch 45-degree elbows
- 3-inch cap adapters
- 3-inch 90-degree street elbows
- 3-inch threaded caps
- metal pipe strap
- Screws attached with rubber washer
- Standard 3-inch PVC pipe caps
- Hacksaw
Step 2 - Assembling Everything
Begin by cutting the 6-inch wide connecting edge of the drain pipe. Then, cut the remaining length of the drain pipe into four equal sections. You may require a second pair of helping hands for this.
Next, you have to connect the 90-degree fitting to one end of the pipe, and the 45-degree fitting to the end of the 90-degree one. This will give you a curved design which will act as the feeder.
Ensure that everything fits together tightly as you don’t want it to come off during feedings. That said, you can choose not to use glue, cement, or screws to connect the ends, as it is easier to take off the bits for cleaning.
Now, place a cap adapter on the other end of the pipe. Secure it tightly. You may have to use glue or screws for this as you want it to be secure during feedings.
Continue the same process for as many pipes as you need. This depends on the number of feeders you want to build for your chickens.
Step 3 - Install It Into The Chicken Coop
The next step involves installing the feeders into your chicken coop. You can choose the placement according to your convenience. However, ensure that you install them at a height that is comfortable for your chickens to feed from.
The mouth of the feeder should not be too low, as this will cause the chickens to spill food excessively during feeding time. However, if the mouth is installed too high, they may not be able to feed comfortably and will eventually be dissuaded from using the feeder.
Use metal straps to install the feeders at intervals, or as you wish to install them. You can even choose to paint the pipes and the board so it looks bright and colorful. That being said, ensure that you use only non-toxic paints for this, as it is, after all, a feeder for your birds.
Attach the metal straps as securely as possible. However, even if they are slightly loose, it should not matter much. You can choose to tighten them later.
Using a power drill, make holes in the PVC pipe to coincide with the metal straps. This is where you will place the rubber washer screws.
Step 4 - Adjust The Straps As Necessary
Finally, it is time to adjust the straps if necessary. You can tighten them using a multi-tool knife or any other tool and lightly press the metal straps against the PVC pipe. This should adequately tighten them and keep them secure during their feeding time.
Once this is done, you can fill up the pipes with chicken feed. The PVC pipe chicken feeder ensures that there is minimum spillage and wastage. Moreover, it’s easy to refill with chicken feed, whether you use pellets or grains.
Remove the cap from the top of the PVC pipe to refill the feeder and replace it once you are done. Of course, remember to close the lid on the mouth of the feeder while doing this so you don’t end up wasting the product.
Ensure that you clean the chicken feeder regularly, without which it can start to foster fungus, bacteria, germs, and other contaminants.
- EXTRA LARGE FEED STORAGE. The OverEZ chicken feeder allows three birds to feed at once and holds up to 50 pounds of feed to avoid recurring maintenance. With a chicken coop accessory this efficient, you’ll only have to refill every 4-6 weeks for 3-5 hens, 2-3 weeks for 6-11 hens, or every 1-2 weeks for 12-15 hens.
- COUNTRY TOUGH DURABILITY. Our chicken coop feeder can be used as both an indoor and outdoor feed dispenser. UV-protected and food-safe, our BPA-free chicken feeder is made of recyclable plastic so there’ll be no waste before, during, or after using your OverEZ feeder for fowl.
- NO-WASTE FEEDING DESIGN: The three smart-feeding ports are designed to prevent chickens from soiling or spilling feed, meaning less wasted feed and a cleaner coop for your birds. When it rains, the port overhang and hidden recessed channel prevent runoff water from leaking into the feeder and ruining large amounts of feed for your chickens.
- No-waste design: Chicken feeder features a no-waste design with the feed opening extending downward, solving the problem of spilled feed, avoiding feed waste and providing a cleaner coop for your chickens. With the chicken feeder you can feed your chickens efficiently, avoiding mess and waste, saving you money and time
- Automatic chicken feeder: Chicken feeder has a 3" diameter hole. When chickens feed through the feed opening, gravity allows food to flow directly downward, which helps chickens to take their feed easily and freely. We provide feeder opening plugs, which can be plugged into the feed opening at night to prevent anything from entering the feed bucket and preventing feed loss
- Rainproof Cover Design: The feeder's rainproof cover and rubber gasket prevent water from leaking into the feed bucket and causing damage to the feed, keeping the food dry so you can feed your chickens with confidence that their food is clean. This rainproof chicken feeder can be placed anywhere in the coop or outdoors for use
Summing It Up
As I mentioned earlier, finding the right design for a chicken feeder may be a matter of trial and error.Â
However, once you have built it successfully, you will start to notice how much easier feeding time becomes. If you need to refill the feeder just before you plan on cleaning it, ensure that it isn’t filled to the brim. This way, you don’t have to throw away or waste any food when you need to clean the feeder.
Furthermore, use a mild cleaning product which does not contain any harmful or abrasive ingredients.Â
Well, that’s it for now! I hope you enjoyed going through my guide. Let me know what you think in the comments below.Â
Until next time!