DIY Chicken Feeder

A chicken feeder is a useful way to make feeding easier. It's the perfect gadget to use when you're going away and leaving the chickens on their own. With a few items from a local hardware store like Lowe's or Home Depot, you can have a simple yet functional chicken feeder for your birds. There are two ways you can easily make feeders from PVC pipes.

  1. An Outdoor Feeder

    • This first feeder is most suited for chickens kept mostly outdoors and away from the home. Its design allows it to be attached to the chicken coop and to withstand rain and inclement weather. Begin by acquiring a 12-inch piece of PVC and an additional 4-foot piece (both 4-inches in diameter) of PVC. You will also need one PVC elbow to the connect the two pipes, and two PVC-pipe caps, all of which can be found in the plumbing isle of a home improvement store. You also need a hacksaw.

      Begin by putting the two pieces of PVC pipe together. Create an L-shape device by attaching the two pieces of pipe to the PVC elbow. Attach one of the caps to the shorter pipe, which will act as the feeding part of the device. Once the cap is twisted on securely, create an opening for feeding by cutting off the top half of the shorter pipe (leaving the parts of the pipe that are twisted into the elbow piece and the cap undisturbed) with a hacksaw. The L-shaped feeder can now be attached to your chicken coop or barn using whatever method works for the materials in your barn. It can be glued on with a plumbing adhesive, chained on with metal chain and nails or a screw-in L-hook, or drilled onto a wall using screws. Once hung, you can fill the longer pipe with feed and close it with the remaining PVC cap.

    Indoor/Outdoor Feeder

    • This second design is great for indoor or outdoor feeding. It sits on the floor and can lie in a corner, away from any walkways or major traffic areas. For this feeder you'll need a 6-inch diameter PVC/plumbing pipe (of whatever height you desire), a medium sized (8-inch to 10-inch) flower pot drain saucer, four 4-inch screws (longer if you're using a larger saucer), and a PVC pipe cap (which can be substituted with a coffee container lid). You will also need a screw driver and a drill.

      Begin by cutting the PVC pipe to your desired height (one yard should be fine). This pipe will hold the chicken feed. Once the pipe is cut, use your drill to drill 1-inch holes around the base of the pipe. These holes will be used to release the feed. Center the drilled pipe on the flower pot saucer. Attach the two pieces together with the screws. If using a screwdriver doesn't provide enough pressure, you can use a drill to create the holes for the screws. Once the saucer and the pipe are connected, you can fill the pipe with the feed and cover the top opening of the pipe with the PVC cap or an old coffee container lid.

    Things to Watch Out For

    • Before placing any food in your newly built feeder or letting your chickens anywhere near it, be sure to clean it out thoroughly. Plumbing/PVC pipes aren't handled with the utmost care in the hardware store, so they are likely covered with various dirt and oils that could be toxic to your chickens.