DIY Feeder Tips for Your Animals 🐓🐐🔧

Feeding your animals shouldn’t be a daily struggle. Whether you’re raising backyard chickens, goats, or rabbits, having the right feeder setup can save you time, reduce waste, and make life easier for everyone involved — animals included. That’s where a few smart DIY feeder tips can go a long way.

At Wolf Valley Buildings, we know that the best shelters work with your feeding system, not against it. When your feeders are accessible, weatherproof, and efficient, your animals stay healthier — and you get more peace of mind. Let’s explore some practical, low-cost ways to feed your animals smarter.

Why Feeder Design Matters 🧠

When it comes to feeding livestock, most problems fall into one of three categories: wasted feed, spoiled feed, or messy animals. If you’ve ever seen your chickens knock over a pan of pellets or your goats stand in their grain bin, you know how frustrating poor design can be.

That’s why the goal of these DIY feeder tips is to keep feed clean, dry, and easy to access — while also saving you time on refills and clean-up.

Use PVC for Clean, Vertical Feeding 🛠️

One of the most popular DIY feeder tips is building vertical feeders from PVC pipe. These feeders are easy to mount to walls inside a chicken coop or goat shelter, keep feed dry, and reduce the chance of animals scattering it across the floor. For chickens, a simple elbow-joint at the bottom lets them peck without spillage. For goats, larger pipes with caps work well for grains or minerals.

This kind of feeder is also perfect for small shelters where space is limited — and can be cleaned easily with a garden hose.

Protect Feed from the Elements ☔

No matter how great your shelter is, rain and humidity can still ruin unprotected feed. Store-bought troughs often leave food exposed, leading to mold or spoilage. Instead, consider using plastic totes with latching lids or repurpose covered trash bins into feed stations. Cut access holes at just the right height for your animals and you’ve got a waterproof, low-cost solution.

Pro tip: Always elevate feeders off the ground to keep out bugs and rodents — even a few inches makes a big difference.

Go Slow: Gravity Feeders for Less Waste 🐐

Goats are notorious for wasting feed. They nose through hay, pick out the good stuff, and leave a mess behind. That’s why slow-feeder designs — like V-shaped hay holders or slotted wood feeders — can help stretch your supply further. Gravity-style feeders allow hay to drop down as it’s eaten, reducing the urge to pull out large clumps.

For chickens, hanging feeders can reduce scratching and flicking behavior. Just make sure they swing freely and are adjusted to the height of the birds’ backs.

Repurpose What You Already Have ♻️

One of the smartest DIY feeder tips is also the simplest: look around your homestead before heading to the store. Old buckets, crates, plastic jugs, or wood scraps can all be turned into effective feeders with a little creativity. For example:

• A milk jug with a side hole becomes a gravity feeder for chicks

• A 5-gallon bucket with horizontal nipples makes a perfect no-waste waterer

• Wooden pallets can be trimmed and stood upright to create hay racks

As long as the materials are clean, safe, and properly secured, there’s no need to spend big on fancy feeders.

Let Your Shelter Do Some of the Work 🏠✨

Your shelter design plays a big role in how easy feeding is. That’s why all Wolf Valley animal shelters can be customized to include feed access doors, storage compartments, and built-in feed stations. Many customers ask for separate feed rooms, overhangs to protect feeding areas, or hooks and rails for hanging feeders — small upgrades that make a big difference.

If you’re designing a new structure, talk to us about how you plan to feed. We’ll help you think through it from the ground up.

Ready to Make Feeding Easier?

These DIY feeder tips can save you time and money — but a smart shelter is what truly brings it all together. Let Wolf Valley Buildings help you design the perfect feeding-friendly setup for your land and animals. 🐾 Reach out today for a custom quote and build something that works with you, not against you.

Internal Links:

Why Choose Wolf Valley Animal Shelters for Your Livestock

Goat Shelter Ideas for Rural Landowners

Animal Shelter Placement Tips | Where to Build in 2025

Outbound Link: Backyard Chickens: Homemade Feeder Ideas