clawmute
03-25-2008, 08:56 AM
* * I designed & built these "pivot over" gravity feeders so they will hold more grain or feed than a fixed in place type without the use and annoyance of a ladder. I tired of filling the limited volume feeders I made previously. With more volume you do not have to fill as often. *
* * I use these for deer/turkey on my green fields but plan on making another for chickens. A support shelf of 2 x 4's was made to limit the pivot travel. I just undo the keeper pin at the bottom, tilt over the pipe & fill it with feed/grain, put on the weather cap, tilt it up & put the keeper pin back in place & its a done deal.
A brief description with attached photos should suffice.
1. Set a post (pressure treated 4 x 4 *or 5 x 5) in the ground two or three feet. The top of the post should be say 4ft. above grade.This is depending on how much weight/volume you will have in the feeder. I set the single post unit 5ft. (dug with backhoe) below grade because I didn't want the assembly tilting over after a while because of the overhung load.
I made the double post model first then decided the next one could be simplified & done with a single post support. Both work fine. The two post type will not have to be set into the ground as far. You can even make one on a chunk of concrete or wood base so that it could be portable. Use your ingenuity!
2. I used a piece of 8" dia fiberglass pipe I had on hand, but 6" sch 40 pvc would be good also. Make the length so that you can load the desired amount of feed/grain. one cubic foot of volume will hold a 50lb. sack of corn. *It will take about 61" of 6" pipe to hold a 50lb sack of corn or other grain, so make your pipe length accordingly. My feeders hold about 150lbs each.
3. plug the bottom with treated wood or cover with sheet metal. I started with a 2 x 4 hole & that was way too big! Try a 1" x 1" to start, you can always make it bigger if need be. Experimentation is in order depending on use.
4. Drill a hole through the pipe about 3ft from the bottom end that will slip fit a piece of 3/4" black iron pipe.
5. Drill the same size hole through the set in place post about 3'-6" above grade. Provide a piece of 3/4" pipe for the pivot pin. Ends must be pinned to keep it in place. I welded washers on the end of the 2nd one I built.
6. Drill a hole through the post about 8" above grade and through one wall of the pipe, when the pipe is in a vertical position. This hole is for a keeper pin - size to suit - that will keep the grain filled pipe upright once it is filled. The keeper pin can have a 90deg bend on one end. I strapped mine to the post so it wouldn't get lost.
7. Make a "jiggler" (like on a fish feeder) I used a piece of 1/4" dia. bar. I bent a hook on one end that can just be forced over the pipe pivot pin. On the other end I bent another hook to accept an 18" length of galvanized/perforated steel strapping. The length of the finished bent rod should be about the same as the distance from the pivot pin to the bottom of the pipe. I actually used a longer piece of strapping, hooked in the middle to provide two "jigglers". Chickens/deer - whatever, will scratch or kick these around and cause feed to jiggle out onto the steel.
6. screw a length of wood - say 3/4 X 1 x 12 to the other end of the strapping. If you make a double ended jiggler (I like that name!) then use two pieces of wood.
7. An old galvanized or plastic bucket can be used for a cap to cover the top end of the pipe.
8. Make a galvanized steel shelf 1/2" to say 1" below the bottom of the pipe. This keeps deer/chickens etc. from excavating under the feeder and causing the feed to speedily depart!
9. Improvements: On the next one - Lord willing - I will make an adjustable outlet hole size so I can meter the grain/feed out based on conditions (number of chickens, or if used for other animals)
10. All of these dimensions are optional, you can build this feeder from stuff you have around the place, that's what I did. You can see how it's made - pretty simple, and will last for years. No motors or batteries to replace - no energy usage except for yours.
11. I actually built these in my shop, complete and just transported them and set them into the hole, plumbed and backfilled.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/TDF10-1.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/TDF7.jpg
*This is the two post version, 1st one I built. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *This is the keeper pin in place
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/TDF11.jpg http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/TDF13.jpg
I had to reduce this opening size w/sheet metal * * * * * * * * * * * set corrug. steel sheet 1/2" -1" below bott. opening
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/09-23-07_1546.jpghttp://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/TDF12.jpg
This is the single post version - set 5ft below grade. * * *Filled with corn
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/FeederCap.jpghttp://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/2Jigglers.jpg
* * * * * * * * An old chicken waterer made the cap * * * * * * * * * 2 "Jigglers" seen here (2x4's for deer)
* * I use these for deer/turkey on my green fields but plan on making another for chickens. A support shelf of 2 x 4's was made to limit the pivot travel. I just undo the keeper pin at the bottom, tilt over the pipe & fill it with feed/grain, put on the weather cap, tilt it up & put the keeper pin back in place & its a done deal.
A brief description with attached photos should suffice.
1. Set a post (pressure treated 4 x 4 *or 5 x 5) in the ground two or three feet. The top of the post should be say 4ft. above grade.This is depending on how much weight/volume you will have in the feeder. I set the single post unit 5ft. (dug with backhoe) below grade because I didn't want the assembly tilting over after a while because of the overhung load.
I made the double post model first then decided the next one could be simplified & done with a single post support. Both work fine. The two post type will not have to be set into the ground as far. You can even make one on a chunk of concrete or wood base so that it could be portable. Use your ingenuity!
2. I used a piece of 8" dia fiberglass pipe I had on hand, but 6" sch 40 pvc would be good also. Make the length so that you can load the desired amount of feed/grain. one cubic foot of volume will hold a 50lb. sack of corn. *It will take about 61" of 6" pipe to hold a 50lb sack of corn or other grain, so make your pipe length accordingly. My feeders hold about 150lbs each.
3. plug the bottom with treated wood or cover with sheet metal. I started with a 2 x 4 hole & that was way too big! Try a 1" x 1" to start, you can always make it bigger if need be. Experimentation is in order depending on use.
4. Drill a hole through the pipe about 3ft from the bottom end that will slip fit a piece of 3/4" black iron pipe.
5. Drill the same size hole through the set in place post about 3'-6" above grade. Provide a piece of 3/4" pipe for the pivot pin. Ends must be pinned to keep it in place. I welded washers on the end of the 2nd one I built.
6. Drill a hole through the post about 8" above grade and through one wall of the pipe, when the pipe is in a vertical position. This hole is for a keeper pin - size to suit - that will keep the grain filled pipe upright once it is filled. The keeper pin can have a 90deg bend on one end. I strapped mine to the post so it wouldn't get lost.
7. Make a "jiggler" (like on a fish feeder) I used a piece of 1/4" dia. bar. I bent a hook on one end that can just be forced over the pipe pivot pin. On the other end I bent another hook to accept an 18" length of galvanized/perforated steel strapping. The length of the finished bent rod should be about the same as the distance from the pivot pin to the bottom of the pipe. I actually used a longer piece of strapping, hooked in the middle to provide two "jigglers". Chickens/deer - whatever, will scratch or kick these around and cause feed to jiggle out onto the steel.
6. screw a length of wood - say 3/4 X 1 x 12 to the other end of the strapping. If you make a double ended jiggler (I like that name!) then use two pieces of wood.
7. An old galvanized or plastic bucket can be used for a cap to cover the top end of the pipe.
8. Make a galvanized steel shelf 1/2" to say 1" below the bottom of the pipe. This keeps deer/chickens etc. from excavating under the feeder and causing the feed to speedily depart!
9. Improvements: On the next one - Lord willing - I will make an adjustable outlet hole size so I can meter the grain/feed out based on conditions (number of chickens, or if used for other animals)
10. All of these dimensions are optional, you can build this feeder from stuff you have around the place, that's what I did. You can see how it's made - pretty simple, and will last for years. No motors or batteries to replace - no energy usage except for yours.
11. I actually built these in my shop, complete and just transported them and set them into the hole, plumbed and backfilled.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/TDF10-1.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/TDF7.jpg
*This is the two post version, 1st one I built. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *This is the keeper pin in place
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/TDF11.jpg http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/TDF13.jpg
I had to reduce this opening size w/sheet metal * * * * * * * * * * * set corrug. steel sheet 1/2" -1" below bott. opening
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/09-23-07_1546.jpghttp://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/TDF12.jpg
This is the single post version - set 5ft below grade. * * *Filled with corn
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/FeederCap.jpghttp://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r130/clawmute/Our%20Fields/2Jigglers.jpg
* * * * * * * * An old chicken waterer made the cap * * * * * * * * * 2 "Jigglers" seen here (2x4's for deer)