Tried and True Designs

[WaupoosCowgirl]

Ok I know I am not the only one guilty of wasting time on Pinterest and Google images looking at well basically chicken porn! What I want know is what plans or builds actually work.

For example I am really intrigued by the vertical feeders you see made out of the PVC pipe but do they actually work or are they a huge pain in the but? Or the "poop" boards are they a good labour saving investment?

I prefer a coop I can stand up in but if elevated coops are the way to go I need some convincing. What about chicken tractors? anyone have a really good plan or concept for one that has actually been utilized?

I would start it off but I really haven't had any earth shattering break throughs on my own. I do have an old Claw foot tub with a drain that I rigged up that has worked awesome so far for my call ducks. I also really like using old apple crates for nesting boxes because they don't have solid bottoms and don't get soiled as bad as a solid floor. Literally my 2 cents worth at this point.

Cheers!

[ross]

Similar to what I have for poultry & for feeding deer at my bait station during hunting season work well . Use white pipe thinner / cheaper .Instead of hanging with chain I drill elongated hole in back near top and hang on nail then I don't have to move to fill .

[Jaye]

I don't know about the feeders because I don't have one like Ross's description, but it is on the "to-do" list.
However, I *can* speak to "poop" boards. They are a big time-saver, and also serve as an early warning of something not right; i.e., abnormal "poop".
I have a "poop" tray under my roosts, and I wouldn't want be without one. I fill it with Sweet PDZ , so it's basically a big litter box. Sweet PDZ is not available in Canada, but I know others with similar set-ups use Stall Dry. I have used it too, if I haven't been able to get to the U.S. to replenish my PDZ.
I scoop out the nightly deposits every morning and top up with PDZ as required. It takes about a minute, max. Keeps the coop floor cleaner for longer, so less work there too.

ETA: forgot to mention reason number 3 for having a "poop" board: scooping out the nightly deposits helps to keep moisture and ammonia levels down in the coop.

[JimW]

I have 2 of the PVC feeders Ross pictured I made from 4" diameter PVC work well for poultry and deer. I painted the one for deer camo.

[WLLady]

I have 15 pvc feeders. They are the BEST. Build them all myself....one 10 foot pipe will make 3 feeders that are half decent size-mine last a week filled for 4-5 birds. each feeder is 4 inch pipe, one 45 wye, a cap (for the bottom) and half of a pressure testing cap (orange). The cap goes on the straight through of the wye. The 3 foot pipe goes in the other straight through of the wye. The whole thing does not get glued. Stand on the cap so wye is pointed up...wire vertically to wall. I had to put half orange caps (taped on...but you could glue them) to stop shovelling....
nice thing is if they accumulate lost of dust in the bottom just take the cap off the bottom and clean out is easy. I would not install outside unless under a roof so water doesnt get in and spoil the feed. But i love mine. Made 15 in about an hour and had them all installed in about 30 minutes after.

[Jaye]

I have 15 pvc feeders. They are the BEST. Build them all myself....one 10 foot pipe will make 3 feeders that are half decent size-mine last a week filled for 4-5 birds. each feeder is 4 inch pipe, one 45 wye, a cap (for the bottom) and half of a pressure testing cap (orange). The cap goes on the straight through of the wye. The 3 foot pipe goes in the other straight through of the wye. The whole thing does not get glued. Stand on the cap so wye is pointed up...wire vertically to wall. I had to put half orange caps (taped on...but you could glue them) to stop shovelling....
nice thing is if they accumulate lost of dust in the bottom just take the cap off the bottom and clean out is easy. I would not install outside unless under a roof so water doesnt get in and spoil the feed. But i love mine. Made 15 in about an hour and had them all installed in about 30 minutes after.

Would really like to see a pic of one of yours, WWLady, since I want to make one myself too.

[ross]

Outside with whole corn in work well no I wouldn't put pellets etc in if outside .

[Robbie]

Poop boards are absolutely wonderful, couldn't do without them. I have a tarp though, it's flexible and removable and hangs under the roost.
I'm working on some concept chicken tractors- next spring I'll have too many chickens to let them completely free range.

[WLLady]

Lol. Installed sideways. Someday i will hold the camera in the correct orientation not the best pic either but i think you can see what it is.
i just hold the orange half lid on with ducttape. Some birds like to pull it apart but most have been fine.

[ross]

Try adding a short 4/5"pc of pipe to Y to make mouth pc longer if chickens pulling feed out or eating tape Kathy . Luck