Author: Anna & Mark

If you’re looking for an
automatic chicken feeder, you’re probably trying to solve several
problems at once.  Automatic feeders make it easier to leave the
flock alone for a few days (or just to cut back on your chicken
chores), but poorly designed feeders introduce a slew of other problems
such as spoiled, spilled, or stolen feed.  The feeders profiled
here are the best I’ve seen so far for preventing automatic feeder
problems.



Storebought
feeders

The majority of our
readers agree that treadle
chicken feeders are
the best option if you have the cash (or time to build your own. 
Linda Cariri took the photo above of her hen eating from Grandpa’s
Feeder ($210).



Other purchased options
include programmable
pet feeders and the cheap gravity feeders you can find in most feed
stores.  The
previous link also includes a lot of tips for making low budget options
less wasteful of feed.



Homemade
gravity feeders

Darren Simmons’ PVC
pipe feeder (shown
to the left) is the winner of our automatic
chicken feeder contest because we feel like it is easily replicable
and will do the job better than any of the other options.  Follow
the link for complete construction tips.



Alternatively, if you
simply want to save some cash and are willing to put up with the
problems posed by cheap gravity feeders, these
homemade versions
may hit the spot.  Or check out this weatherproof
gravity chicken feeder.



The
best is yet to come?

Even though I like the
automatic chicken feeders that have come across my desk so far, I think
an even better solution is out there.  If you’ve found it, feel
free to email your design to info@avianaquamiser.com so we can show it to our
readers.  Thanks for sharing!

My husband got me one of your
DIY kits for
Christmas (with strong hints on my part).  I was hoping it would
cut down on my morning chores and eliminate the messy water clean
up.  I must say it exceeded expectations. 



Dan set me up with two 2
gallon buckets.  One has 3 of the nipples and the other (yet to be
used – saving it for summer) with 2.  The one in use is suspended
from a top beam in our mobile coop with two pieces of chain. 



Cleaning is almost non
existent.  I take the bucket down every few days for a complete
refill.   Daily fill up consists of using a narrow spout
watering can to replenish as necessary.  The coop is dry and the
hens have access to water 24/7. 



Once the cold weather
hit us I did need to devise a way to keep the waterer from
freezing.  My method is so simple it’s ridiculous.  I had Dan
enlarge the hole in the lid so it would be big enough to fit an
electrical plug though it.  Then I threaded the cord of a
submersible bird
bath deicer up thru the lid, plugged it into the electrical outlet in
the coop and, viola, problem solved!  I have multiple hooks on the
suspension beam so when it’s time to clean, I just unplug the deicer
and hang it from one of the other hooks.



I do love your
product!   My chickens learned to use the nipples within 5
minutes and it has made my chicken raising experience much more
pleasant!! Thanks for making this great device available.  
Don’t know what I’d do if I had to go back to scrubbing a traditional
waterer.



— Betsy Beach



This
is one of the great entries that have been pouring in for our homemade,
heated chicken waterer contest. 
You’ve still got time to enter, so put on those thinking caps and pull
out your camera!