From Coffee Cans to Clucking Champs: Build a DIY Chicken Feeder for Waste-Free Homesteading!

Imagine the scene: the morning sun warming your back, the gentle clucking of happy hens, and the satisfaction of knowing you're providing them with the best care, all while minimizing waste and keeping those pesky rodents at bay. That dream can be your reality, and it starts with a simple, affordable DIY project: a waste-reducing, rodent-resistant chicken feeder made from repurposed coffee cans! This weekend, ditch the store-bought options and dive into a project that's good for your chickens, your wallet, and the planet. Let's get building!

This project is perfect for beginner homesteaders looking for easy homestead DIY ideas and those wanting to practice budget homesteading. Building a DIY chicken feeder is a fantastic way to start your journey to self-sufficient living DIY, even if you're short on time or resources. This feeder minimizes waste and deters rodents, making it a great addition to your homestead DIY arsenal.

Why Build Your Own Chicken Feeder?

Store-bought chicken feeders can be expensive, flimsy, and often lead to wasted feed. Chickens are notorious for scratching and scattering their food, attracting rodents and making a mess. This DIY feeder solves these problems by:

• Reducing Waste: The enclosed design minimizes spillage, ensuring your chickens eat more and you waste less feed. This saves you money in the long run.
• Deterring Rodents: By elevating the feed and limiting access, you'll make it much harder for rodents to get a free meal.
• Saving Money: Using repurposed coffee cans and a few inexpensive materials keeps the cost under $20, a significant saving compared to commercial feeders. This keeps your cheap homestead projects on track.
• Being Customizable: You can easily adjust the size and number of feeding holes to suit the size of your flock.
• Promoting Sustainable Homesteading: Upcycling helps reduce waste and is eco-friendly.

Materials You'll Need (Under $20!)

• 2-3 Empty Coffee Cans (or similar metal cans): Cleaned and thoroughly dried. Different sizes are fine! Look for these at your local recycling center or ask neighbors.
• A Scrap Piece of Wood (approx. 12" x 6"): This will serve as the mounting board. Pallet wood works great!
• Screws or Bolts: For attaching the cans to the wood.
• Drill with various sized drill bits: For creating the feeding holes and mounting holes.
• Metal Hole Saw (optional, but recommended): Makes creating the feeding holes much easier. You can find these at most hardware stores for under $10.
• Sandpaper (optional): To smooth any rough edges.
• Measuring Tape or Ruler: For marking hole placement.
• Pencil or Marker: For marking.
• Safety Glasses: Always protect your eyes when drilling.
• Gloves: To protect your hands.

Step-by-Step Instructions: Building Your DIY Chicken Feeder

Follow these instructions carefully, and you'll have your waste-reducing feeder up and running in no time. Remember safety first!

Step 1: Prepare the Coffee Cans

• Thoroughly clean and dry the coffee cans. Remove any labels and residue.
• If the cans have any sharp edges, use sandpaper to smooth them down.

Step 2: Mark the Feeding Holes

• Decide where you want to place the feeding holes on each can. A good starting point is about 2-3 inches from the bottom of the can.
• Use a marker or pencil to draw circles where you want the holes to be. Aim for 2-3 holes per can, spaced evenly around the circumference.
• The size of the holes will depend on the size of your chickens and the type of feed you use. Start with 1-inch holes and adjust as needed.

Step 3: Drill the Feeding Holes

• Using the metal hole saw or a drill bit, carefully drill out the feeding holes. Go slowly and use a steady hand to avoid deforming the can.
• If you're using a drill bit, you may need to start with a smaller pilot hole first.

Step 4: Prepare the Mounting Board

• Cut your scrap piece of wood to the desired size (approx. 12" x 6"). You can adjust the size depending on how many cans you're using.
• Sand the edges of the wood to remove any splinters.

Step 5: Attach the Coffee Cans to the Mounting Board

• Position the coffee cans on the mounting board, spacing them evenly apart.
• Drill pilot holes through the bottom of the cans and into the wood.
• Secure the cans to the board using screws or bolts. Make sure the screws are long enough to hold the cans firmly in place, but not so long that they poke through the other side of the wood.

Step 6: Mounting the Feeder

• Decide where you want to mount the feeder in your chicken coop or run. Choose a location that's easily accessible to your chickens but protected from the elements.
• Drill two holes through the mounting board for hanging or screwing it to a wall.
• Secure the feeder to the coop wall or hang it using wire or rope. Ensure it's at a comfortable height for your chickens to reach.

Step 7: Filling the Feeder

• Fill the coffee cans with chicken feed.
• Observe your chickens using the feeder. You may need to adjust the size or placement of the feeding holes depending on their behavior.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Chickens aren't using the feeder: Make sure the feeder is at the right height. You may need to lower it initially to encourage them to use it. Also, ensure the feeding holes are large enough for them to access the feed easily.
• Feed is getting wet: Position the feeder in a sheltered location or add a small roof over it.
• Rodents are still a problem: Ensure there are no gaps or cracks around the feeder that rodents can access. Consider adding a wire mesh screen around the base of the feeder to deter them.
• Cans are rusting: Consider painting the cans with a non-toxic, rust-resistant paint.

Beyond the Basics: Customizing Your Feeder

• Add a Roof: A small roof made from scrap wood or metal can help protect the feed from rain and snow.
• Multiple Tiers: Build a taller feeder with multiple tiers of coffee cans to accommodate a larger flock.
• Automatic Feeder: Connect the feeder to a larger feed storage container using a pipe or tube to create an automatic feeding system. This is a more advanced DIY homestead projects that builds off the basic.

Reap the Rewards of Your Labor

Building your own DIY chicken feeder to reduce waste under $200 is more than just a fun project; it's an investment in your homestead. You'll save money on feed, reduce waste, deter rodents, and enjoy the satisfaction of creating something useful with your own hands. This is what sustainable homesteading is all about!

Now it's your turn! We encourage you to try this project and share your results in the comments below. Post photos of your finished feeder, share any tips or modifications you made, and let us know what other small-scale homestead improvement projects you'd like to see covered. What other cheap and easy DIY chicken coop ideas have you implemented? Let's learn from each other and build a more sustainable and self-sufficient future, one coffee can at a time! This is the beginning of your journey toward self-reliance.