I enjoy optimizing my life as much as possible, and reducing the number of chores I have is an effective way to free myself up for things I’d rather be doing. Feeding the chickens used to be a daily chore that was quick, but that time still added up month to month. The first bulk feeder I made worked well, but to get the cheapest feed prices, I had to buy feed by the ton. This meant moving the feed once into garbage cans for storage and then again into the feeder (which, I’ll add, was not particularly close by). Talk about an inefficient system!
I realized the best solution would need to solve both the storage and feeding problems. That’s how I came up with the idea for a hopper-style feeder that can hold over 2,000 pounds of feed. For the average homesteader’s flock, it will last you all year. What a beautiful thing! Made almost entirely out of wood (besides the metal roof), it’s relatively easy to maneuver by dragging it with a small vehicle. I’ve been using it for several years, and there isn’t much I would change about it—but I’m sure I’ll think of some improvements next time around.
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