We bought them as day old chicks. Now they are looking like real chickens with feathers and a cute little crest on their heads.

The amount of food they eat has been progressively increasing. Initially, I made a feeder for them out of a gallon water jug. I didn’t want an open container they could walk in, scratch the feed out and leave droppings in. By cutting 1 inch holes about 2 inches from the bottom, they wee able to eat the feed without getting it all over the ground. As they peck at it, almost all of it stays in the gallon jug.

Now that they have gotten bigger, I had to increase the size of their feeder. A 5 gallon bucket seems like the perfect size. I used a propane torch to soften the plastic in a spot about 4 inches from the bottom. While it was still soft, I used a pocket knife to cut a hole approximately 2″ wide and 3″ high. I cut four of these evenly spaced around the bottom. This could hold about a gallon of feans to leave for a couple of days were in the works so I wanted a way to add extra feed to make certain they didn’t run out. Feeling a stroke of genius, I gathered an empty gallon water jug, some really stiff wire I had from deconstructing an old box spring, and some electric fence wire.

Using a vice, hammer, and a pair of pliers, I fashioned the heavy wire nto a four footed device e jug in the center of the bucket. The feet also held the mouth of the jug about an inch above the bottom of the bucket. This way I could fill the jug with feed and turn it upside down into the bucket. Feed would then gravity feed into the bucket until a pile grew under the mouth of the jug. This pike would stop the flow of feed until the chickens ate some of it. As they eat, the feed will be replenished until the jug is empty. Now they have a gallon of feed in the bucket and another gallon in the jug. Two gallons should last a week at this stage.

I centered the jug at the top with heavy wire.

I replaced the lid on the bucket and seated it. Next the electric fence wire was used to hang the bucket by the bail to the top of the pen. By hanging it an inch above the ground, ants won’t bother it. The chickens took to it right away and seem to love it.

The jugs on top are to keep the chickens from roosting up there.