DIY your own Chicken Feeder

We have always used a hanging chicken feeder or a pan on the ground to feed the chickens. They have worked great for us but now that we have a few more chickens, I need to add an additional feeder so I decided on a DIY chicken feeder.

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Types of Feeders

Adult birds need 4 inches of feeder space per bird. Chicks need 2 inches. We are big on having feed out at all times. That way the girls at the bottom of the pecking order can eat when the other girls are off free-ranging. 

I’ve started researching different feeders. Generally, with the hanging feeder, chickens can’t scratch out the feed so there should be less mess, but our girls peck in it and still tend to spill it on the ground. 

I’d love a Grandpa feeder but I worry the chickens won’t be able to figure out how to use it plus it’s a little expensive. Still, it’s tempting. I know I would save money on wasted feed plus cut down on the mice but I just can’t bring myself to buy one yet. 

We have several feed pans that I use but, seriously, the littles get in them and scratch around like they are looking for bugs or they scratch dirt and bedding in it. I’m constantly emptying it or throwing out the feed. 

I’m also looking for something convenient and that will hold more than the pans. When we go to our property, I worry the chickens will run out of feed. My son takes care of them (and does a good job) but still, several times we’ve come home and the feeder is empty. 

I found a galvanized feeding trough on Amazon. The wire guard is to prevent chickens from standing on top of it and pooping in it plus it’s supposed to keep them from scratching it out. Being galvanized, it will definitely hold up over the years but it doesn’t hold as much as I’d like and I think the girls would still scratch dirt and bedding in it. I may get one if we have baby chicks again. 

DIY Chicken Feeder

I’ve decided to try and DIY a chicken feeder with a PVC-type pipe. I’ve seen a lot of people use these and it looks simple to make. The 5-gallon bucket is a popular DIY but I think the pipe will work better for our setup. 

What I used for my DIY chicken feeder: 

• 4” HDPE pipe – cut 3 feet long 
• 90-degree elbow 
• 45-degree elbow
• 2-Caps

I decided on HDPE (high-density polyethylene) pipe instead of PVC because it was lighter. I went with 4″ because the opening is a little larger and it will hold more feed. Plus, I did have concerns about the chicken’s head getting stuck. LOL. I purchased 2 caps. One for the top to keep the rain out and a second so I can close it up at night.

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The pipe came in 10-foot length so the Bearded Rooster had to cut it for me. This was the hardest part of the project (but only took him 1 minute). Everything else just slid together.

You can glue the pieces together but I decided against it. The connection is pretty tight plus I want to be able to take apart and clean if necessary. 

It’s important for chickens to have high-quality feed to meet their nutritional needs. If they aren’t eating enough, you will see a drop in egg production. Laying hens eat approximately ¼ lb of feed per day so with 8 birds, you need 2 lbs of feed. 

Feed requirements can vary based on the breed of chicken plus the time of year. The Littles are growing like weeds and I feel like they are eating a ton! Also, your birds eat more in the winter as they try to stay warm and less in the summer. 

The DIY chicken feeder cost me around $25 to make but I have enough pipe to make 2 more. But, for now, I just did the one. I want to make sure the girls use it and it really fits our needs. If everyone likes it, I may add one or two more.