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31 DIY PVC Chicken Feeder Ideas to Help Feed Your Hungry Hens, Ducks, and Turkeys!

Written by:Kate Chalmers

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Do PVC chicken feeders work? Yes, they do! But, as with all DIY projects, there are many pitfalls to avoid when putting together homemade feeders for your flock. Luckily, we’ve assembled over thirty handy-dandy DIY PVC chicken feeder ideas, all with detailed instructions and top tips about design flaws to steer clear of.

Let’s analyze and review these henhouse and farmyard PVC feeder ideas. In detail!

Shall we?

31 Ultimate DIY PVC Chicken Feeder Ideas

PVC chicken feeders are hugely popular right now. And with good reason! The idea is to provide a mess-free area for your chickens to eat – whilst also cutting down on the time you spend giving food to your flock.

Before we dive into our massive list of DIY feeder ideas – we want to answer your top questions. How do you make a PVC feeder in the first place? And how do they work?

How Do You Make a PVC Chicken Feeder?

Most PVC chicken feeders utilize a simple design. They usually have a vertical or horizontal tube that automatically dispenses food to your flock as it trickles downwards. Modern automatic feeder designs have adapted to resolve problems such as dampness and vermin.

The design of the PVC chicken feeder you choose will depend on your poultry setup and whether you want to feed your chickens inside the coop or out in the run. The most important thing to remember is that damp conditions will quickly cause the chicken feed to become moldy, which is very dangerous for your feathered friends. The risk of eating spoiled chicken food means preventing water ingress is vital for your bird’s health. It also means that you must thoroughly clean the feeder regularly.

In any free-access feeding system, vermin are always a potential problem. Luckily, some of the designs featured here today have incorporated innovative anti-vermin upgrades, ensuring that your chickens are the only animals on the homestead who enjoy that delicious chicken food.

So, bearing those two vital points in mind, let’s see if we can inspire you with many fabulous DIY PVC chicken feeder ideas!

They are as follows.

1. Say Goodbye to Daily Chicken Feeding by Mason Dixon Acres

As we go through our list of the best DIY PVC chicken feeder ideas, you’ll see many variations on this theme. However, to start with, we’ll look at the simplest version of the drain pipe feeder, with some clever adaptations to solve regularly-occurring problems. I particularly like the caps that help to cover the feeders when not in use, reducing the risk of vermin.

2. Semi-Automatic Trough Feeder by SSL Family Dad

This design ingeniously combines vertical drain pipe dispensers with easy-access feed troughs, resulting in a homemade semi-automatic chicken feeder that will keep your chooks fed all day! The length and height of the feeder trough can be adapted to suit the needs of your flock, and I love that it can get refilled without even going into the coop.

3. PVC Bucket Feeder by Far From Normal

DIY chicken feeder in a 5-gallon bucket.

I have to say that I think this design is far better than any commercial chicken feeder I’ve seen! It can hold a large volume of food. And it’s easy to access by several chickens at once. It also keeps the food dry – even if it is raining. The only downside is that rodents can also find their way inside, but placing it on a narrow plinth should solve this problem.

4. Hanging PVC Feed Trough For Chickens by Big Family Homestead

This clever feed trough would work well inside a large chicken coop or in a covered run. It is large enough for several hens to access at once, and you can adjust the length of the trough accordingly to create the size you need. The hanging design should also make it difficult for vermin to access.

5. PVC Gravity Feeder & Waterer by Backyard Poultry

Homemade poultry feeder and waterer.

Many drain pipe feeder designs require the chickens to pop their heads inside a hole to access the food – great for reducing mess, but not all birds will cotton on to this idea! By deploying a downspout adapter and waste drain cap, the standard drain pipe feeder can adapt to create a mini-feed trough at the base of each feeder.

6. Vermin Proof Chicken Feeder by Elle Meager @ Outdoor Happens

It might be a surprising coincidence, but one of the best bucket chicken feeder designs I’ve seen is by our very own Elle Meager – right here at Outdoor Happens! This clever system eliminates the problem of rodents and wild birds stealing your chicken feed, as only the chickens can activate the toggle to release more feed. When we upgrade to a larger feeder, this simple solution is one I want to try!

7. Rain Proof Chicken Feeder by Chris Graham

One design aspect of PVC pipe feeders many people fail to consider is how to keep the rain out. This clever adaptation creates a mini ‘awning’ by cutting the lower section of the pipe, helping to keep your chicken feed dry and in perfect condition. It also features an innovative reducer, preventing food from spilling out of the feeding station.

8. DIY Chicken Feeder for Under $25 by Mile Four

Here's an excellent and thoroughly-documented DIY chicken feeder plan by Mile Four.

Are you tired of spending too much cash on DIY projects? When carefully watching every dollar, we advise a project that has been fully costed out. We’ve all started those ‘simple’ DIY ideas that lead to many store trips! The cost can quickly add up. This simple design gives a detailed list of components needed from the start, helping you to keep your project on track and within your budget.

9. Damp-Proof PVC Chicken Feeder by Sugar Maple Farmhouse

Tidy DIY chicken feeder using PVC pipes.

As this blogger rightly points out, drilling holes in drain pipes increases the risk of water ingress, leading to damp, moldy feed. But you can get around this problem. The sections are connected using PVC pipe glue and secured snugly in the coop using metal pipe straps. Each feeder features a rain-proof cap which can also get used at night to keep rats and mice at bay.

10. $12 DIY Automatic PVC Chicken Feeder by Country Living Experience: A Homesteading Journey

You can maximize the fresh feed amount your dispenser holds by switching a standard-width drain pipe for a wider sewer pipe. This piping adjustment can significantly increase the capacity of a vertical feeder. Doing so is ideal for anyone (like me!) who struggles to lift bags to fill a taller dispenser. The wider diameter of the sewer pipe also makes this design suitable for large-breed chickens such as Brahmas and Orpingtons.

Read More!

11. PVC Drain Pipe Feeder for Multiple Hens by ugarxfish @ Instructables

DIY chicken feeder perfect for multiple hens, ducks, birds, or farm animals.

Are you a visual learner? Then these simple step-by-step instructions and photo guides to building a 4-pipe feeder will make the process a cinch! The guide even tells you exactly what parts to buy before you start and how to adjust the feeder height according to the requirements of your flock.

12. DIY Rodent Proof Chicken Feeder by Rivera’s Urban Homestead

This design will work for you if vermin are becoming a problem. We love the removable caps to keep the rodents away from the feeder at night. It is so cute how quickly the happy chickens come over to investigate their new feeding station – I’ll never get used to how clever these birds are!

13. PVC Chicken Feeder With Feed Level Indicator by Preparing for SHTF

Robust DIY chicken feeder using PVC pipes.

The problem with many drain pipe chicken feeders is that it is impossible to tell if it needs refilling without taking the cap off and peeking inside. This design incorporates a genius flag indicator system, enabling you to spot when the feeder needs topping up. It prevents your chickens from suffering the unthinkable horror of a few hours without food!

14. Upgraded PVC Chicken Feeder by Red Beard Homestead

This detailed tutorial is worth watching if you plan on building the perfect feeder. Every potential design flaw gets identified and resolved, taking into account any potential problems caused by dampness and vermin. I especially love how the finished feeder lifts off for cleaning, something that many other designs fail to consider!

15. Drain Pipe Chicken Feeder by Little House Living

DIY PVC Chicken Feeder Inside a Big Country Barn

Here is a fun take on the standard 4-inch PVC pipe chicken feeder design, utilizing a shallow bend in the pipe to enable the feeder to get topped up from outside the coop. If your coop is too small to access comfortably, you’ll realize why this minor upgrade could make all the difference!

16. Bulk PVC Chicken Feeder by Rob Bob’s Aquaponics & Backyard Farm

As nifty as drainpipe feeders are, if you’ve got a big flock of chickens, you’ll probably end up refilling them far more often than you’d like. This clever yet simple chicken feeder is ideal for heavy-hitting flocks as the hefty bucket can hold a 25kg/55lb chicken feed bag.

17. Space Saving Chicken Feeder by Hobby Farms

Short of space in your coop? Or are you using a simple ark to house your small flock? The perfect solution is to build a vertical chicken feeder that fastens to the outside of your chicken’s living area, with just the feed dispenser inside the coop. This space-saving design also features a removable cap at the base, making it easy to empty and clean.

18. PVC Bucket Chicken Feed Dispenser by Ideas 2 Live 4

Epic and easy-to-build PVC chicken feeder.

We seem to end up with loads of these buckets lying around, and I loathe throwing them away in case they come in handy! I love turning them into an almost-free chicken feed dispenser. I shall save this design for future reference.

19. Horizontal Feeder for Larger Flocks by Tip for DIY

Excellent DIY chicken feeder perfect for multiple chickens or a large henhouse.

I love the traditional horizontal feeding trough system that cleverly adapts here to create a feeder for larger flocks with minimal spillage. It can get made as long or short as you need to suit your coop, and the hanging design makes it far trickier for vermin to access. Providing multiple feeding holes should also prevent squabbling within your flock, ensuring that even the most timid hens get their fair share of feed.

20. Spill-Proof PVC Chicken Feeder by Matt’s Finds

Many homesteaders underestimate how much feed spillage can occur when making a PVC chicken feeder. After all, chickens are notoriously messy eaters! This clever design adaptation eliminates the feed wastage problem with angled pipe connectors, leaving you with a mess-free coop floor and less risk of vermin.

21. PVC Chicken Waterer and Feeder by Gregarious Gizmos

A clever chicken waterer and PVC feeder.

Are you going through the trouble of building a DIY chicken feeder? Then why not make a matching waterer while you’re at it? This simple design looks neat and stylish and eliminates the need for messy feeders and watering stations on the coop floor or run. If you are considering making a PVC chicken waterer, use removable installation brackets to make it easier to take off and clean.

22. No Mess PVC Chicken Feeder Bin by Homestead Lifestyle

Here is the perfect design for greedy feeders who scatter expensive chicken feed everywhere! Not all chooks will get the hang of putting their head inside a feeder tube to access their dinner, but this could be the perfect option if your flock seems to waste feed no matter what you do. This design also has the advantage of being rain-proof, and if placed on a plinth, it should also be tricky for rodents to access.

23. Giant PVC Garbage Can Chicken Feeder by J&J Acres

Now I know we all intend on keeping our flock sizes manageable, but hoarding chickens seems addicting! Can you relate? I mean – if someone offers me some free hens, I can’t seem to say no! The way things are going, it’s looking like we’ll need to build ourselves a giant garbage can chicken feeder in the not-so-distant future.

24. Gravity Fed PVC Chicken Feeder by The Art of Doing Stuff

A DIY chicken feeder perfect for homesteaders who want to conserve chicken feed.

Another great tutorial that even the most novice DIY-er can follow! I like the result of this project, which looks smart in a black PVC pipe. The joy of these smaller feeders is that you can make more than one, spacing them out so even the most timid chickens get fair access to food.

25. PVC Chick Feeder On a Budget by Hurricane Homestead

Whether you’re rearing laying hens or broilers, feeding young chicks can be slightly messy. Purpose-made feed troughs are not cheap, but you can easily make your low-budget chick feeder using PVC plastic guttering which will keep your coop clean.

26. PVC Feeder System for Small Coops by My Pet Chicken

A robust-looking DIY chicken feeder made from PVC pipe.

Taking the drain pipe design back to basics, this model is easy to assemble and does not require any power tools. It can get made in any size to suit your coop, making it ideal for even the most compact chicken houses.

27. DIY Automated Chicken Feeder Using A Trash Barrel by The Old Sweede’s Farm

While you see many designs using PVC drain pipes to make chicken feeders, switching it to a massive bucket or container has some lovely advantages. The massive barrel design holds over 100 pounds of feed, massively increasing the feed volume it can hold at any time. The thinner walls are easier to cut, and if you’re short on space, you can still build a decent-sized feeder to keep your flock well-fed at all times.

28. Simple Double Chicken Feeder by Backyard Chicken Lady

A superb DIY chicken feeder that's also surprisingly easy to assemble.

If power tools are not your thing, this tutorial avoids that problem by using cement and wire to hold the fittings in place. The detailed blog gives some crucial design tips, such as the optimum angle to place the food bowls to prevent spillage. This simple PVC chicken feeder would be ideal for a small chicken coop or tractor system.

29. No-Waste Chicken Barrel Feeder by Nichols Country

Drain pipes can get turned into handy chicken feeders with tweaking. But if you don’t want the hassle, a barrel can get upgraded using purpose-made chicken feeder ports. These get around many of the issues found in DIY chicken feeders, such as food waste, water ingress, and vermin problems. They even come with the correct size hole saw, making this DIY project an absolute cinch.

30. DIY Chicken Feeder by Simply Farmhouse Living

And finally, a nice short, simple, crystal clear tutorial on building a vertical gravity-fed chicken feeder. Using two 90-degree PVC elbows creates a flatter, spill-proof feeding bowl for your hens, but remember that it must get placed under shelter away from the rain.

31. Self-Filling PVC Chicken Feeder by The Chicken Chick

Here we have a super-cute yet simple design that would work well in a small coop or chicken ark system. The PVC drain pipe can get filled with feed. The feed then trickles into the feed trough (cleverly made using a corner litter pan). This detailed tutorial also describes incorporating a self-filling grit dispenser into your feeding system.

Chicken Feeder | Heavy Duty PVC Pipe Chicken Coop Feeder with 6.6 Pounds Capacity | MewToGo
Chicken Feeder | Heavy Duty PVC Pipe Chicken Coop Feeder with 6.6 Pounds Capacity | MewToGo
$36.99 $32.99

This PVC chicken feeder is perfect for a backyard coop. It holds around six and a half pounds of chicken feed. It also has a lid that helps keep your chicken feed dry and contaminate-free. The feeder weighs approximately 3.6 pounds and easily mounts to your barn or chicken coop wall using metal rings. The feeding port is roughly 4.3 inches wide, so there's lots of space for your chicken to access the food without fuss.

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11/05/2024 11:28 pm GMT

Conclusion

Thanks so much for reading our PVC chicken feeder guide.

We scrounged our favorite homestead hotspots to find ideas that suit nearly any coop.

What about you?

  • Do you plan on building a DIY PVC chicken feeder?
  • Which of these chicken feeder designs is your favorite?
  • Will you mount your PVC chicken feeder outside your coop? Or inside the henhouse?
  • How big is your flock? How many pounds of chicken feed do they eat each month?

We are all chicken fanatics around here. And we love hearing your feathery fables and insights.

Thanks again for reading.

Have a great day!

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Kate moved to Portugal in 2020 and lives with her husband on a half-hectare ‘quinta’ – traditional terraced land with olive trees, grapevines, and a house that seems to be taking forever to renovate!

The current menagerie of animals includes an ancient cat, George, and an assortment of chickens of all shapes and sizes. Kate has over 15 years of experience in the UK veterinary industry and is also a passionate gardener.

Together, Kate and her husband have turned a barren olive grove into an abundant food forest and vegetable garden that is a haven for wildlife. Future plans include more animals, particularly sheep and goats for milk production to make cheese, butter, and yogurt!

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