Deer Farmer

ANTLER VALLEY

In search of the best homemade feeder design...I've come across quite a few plastic 55-gallon barrels. Any ideas?



I was thinking of buying sheet plastic and making a cone to funnel feed from it, but not wanting to spend more time than money saved. I have some Feed4All feeders but they have their flaws, as I'm sure most do. Need something small enough to move by hand, sturdy enough to endure rutting bucks, high winds, and parallel rains. If nothing else, I might try to build a hay feeder similar to what Del Clayna is putting out (their trash can version) for square bales.



Let me know...

ahiggins

http://www.bossbuck.com/products/low...3polyunit.html



I have used this and have worked great. Just cut a hole in the bottom of your 55 gallon drum and bolt in unit and now you have a 300# free feeder.



With the band that fits around the drum and legs I had about 150. tied up in each one.

ANTLER VALLEY

I had seen these before. I actually bought a 4-way from Bossbucks, but haven't done anything with it (yet). You don't use a cone above this to divert the feed to the edge of the feeders? Ever have feed molded up inside the barrel? How did you support the barrel? Thanks

ahiggins

Here is a pic of an old one I made back in 2006.



You don't need to install another funnel above this unit.



Never had mold on any feed and never had any moisture migrate in. (We get up to 50" of rain a year down here) They will provide installation instructions.

make sure you caulk around the top edges where the funnel meets the drum.



Here is the link to the band you can order. Then all you need is 3 pieces of pipe cut to the length you need to get your desired height.



If you don't have a lid that has a hand binder spend the extra 23 dollars and get their lid.



http://www.bossbuck.com/products/parts/barrelband.html

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ANTLER VALLEY

I have seen those stands, too. I like the wide base on them. Your picture was very helpful...do you use a ladder to fill your barrel? It looks pretty tall; then again, maybe you have an auger wagon? I do all chores via 5-gallon buckets. I wonder if you drilled 1" holes every 3" or so down the side, then took a strip of thin plexiglass and covered the holes by attaching p-glass with liquid nails, then you might have an easy way to see the feed inventory from the ground? I also like that you can use different lengths of pipe to accomodate different ages of deer. I know fawns sure come onto feed in late July at my place, but the feeders I've been using don't adjust down to their height, and I waste quite a bit every year due to coons and rain.

lilcheeps

My question is what barrels do guys use food grade or others if others what do you use to clean them before use

ANTLER VALLEY

I've found two along the highway that had been used to haul vinegar. The ones I'm getting now have been used to ship and store a slightly corrosive soap (plastic barrels) but I think they can be cleaned pretty well. I'll be cutting the ends off, after all.

ahiggins

i fill mine by backing up to it with my mule and stand in the back and fill from there. I'm also able to see the level.



I made a feed blower out of a gas leaf blower similar to this.



I don't use it much but as i get older I will use it more..





http://www.bossbuck.com/products/feeders/pakmule.html



If I had to do it over I would have just bought this one. Getting the flow rate of feed into the pipe right was a pain in the you know what!!!

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Uncle Harley

anybody try to make a larger scale of this?

Whitetails

that's a neat little contraption!!!

ANTLER VALLEY

Yeah, makes me want to get some chicks! I wonder if you could make the lever device (where the chickens were standing) horizontal and about as high off the ground as a deer's brisket, so they had to push with their chest while stretching their neck; on the other hand, I have heard that coons will chew through a 2x4 to get to some feed...

Uncle Harley

The "Originals" are galvanized Google " Grandpa's Feeders"

Smoking_44

You could probabaly slant the pressure board downward a bit so they push on it with their chest when they get closer to the trough part.

Wicked Whitetails

Just let them step on it. If you do it a couple times with them watching they are curious enough they will check it out. Ya they might be scared the first couple times but they would get use to it. I cut wood from time to time in my pen and the deer are so curious about what im doing they run right over as soon as the chainsaw shuts off.

ANTLER VALLEY

But if you make it so they can step on it, what keeps a coon or 'possum out?