# Pig Feeder Plans



## GW Farms (May 1, 2006)

I'm looking for pictures of what folks are using as a feeder for their pigs. We use a six foot long trough which works great ..... once you actually get the feed in the trough. The battle comes in getting the feed in the trough without getting wrestled to the ground by the hungry porkers. So we're looking for pictures of what different folks use or plan to use and maybe some comments on what seems to work best for them.


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## Feathers-N-Fur (Dec 17, 2007)

We use hot water heaters cut in half length ways. We put them by the fence for the sows for 2 reasons. First, you can feed without actually getting in the pen. Second, if they push each other around too much, they hit the hot wire on the fence. They quickly learn not to be so pushy around their troughs. We currently have 2 halves for the 3 sows. 
The boar has an old stainless steel kitchen sink with a wooden box that it sits in for added weight. 
The 4H piglets have 2 water heater halves that have been raised up about 2 feet off the ground so they work their hams and shoulders when they eat. No hot wire by their feed though.


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

I use horse feeders. The bottom is an inch or two off the ground. I free choice feed and the critters roam free, so it's pretty peaceful around here.


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## severtki (Jul 6, 2008)

Any other ideas out there? We have used the round horse feeders -- just set on the ground, but they inevitably flip it over and waste a lot. (We only have two pigs...) Any ideas of how to secure it with an easy release for cleaning?

k


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## Jaclynne (May 14, 2002)

We currently use a 4 ft long trough that is made of wood. It is just a V configuration with solid ends that serve as the feet also. It is next to the fence panel. It works for now, but is hard to fill since the pigs are in the way.
I saw a feeder made from a large plastic barrel, set on end and cut out in an L shape. That leaves a tall back and a 10-12" round bottom. They had attached wood slats up the face of the back so you have a shute of sorts. The feeder is placed outside the fence panel with the lower round bowel area inside. That makes it half way inside on bottom round part and the tall shute is outside the fence. You can then pour feed thru the shute with getting mauled, splashed and nibbled by the pigs. I don't have a pic, but will look for one. We are building one next days off, so I'll take pics then.

Halo


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## bluedog (Mar 20, 2008)

yes i would like to see a pic of the feeder.


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## sagecreek (Sep 3, 2004)

Bump, since I'm getting a couple of pigs in a few weeks and I'm looking for ideas.


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## Shawhee (Jun 19, 2008)

I cut a plastic barrel in half - sort of like the water heater idea above. I wired it to the fence - I can easily tip it and spray it out if I need to. And I can pour feed over the fence easily.


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

severtki said:


> Any other ideas out there? We have used the round horse feeders -- just set on the ground, but they inevitably flip it over and waste a lot. (We only have two pigs...) Any ideas of how to secure it with an easy release for cleaning?
> 
> k


Find a tire to put it in. Depending on the diameter, you would have to find the right size tire.


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## karenbrat1 (Jun 25, 2009)

Are you feeding commercial feed? If so get a metal self feeder from your farm store and tie it to the fence. Put a 50 lb sack in and forget about it til the next time to fill it.


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## Hildymarie (Aug 16, 2009)

We have the 4 foot long v shaped trough made from 2x12's as described above. There are 2 pieces of 2x4 on top that divide the trough into 3 parts so one cant 'hog' the whole trough. There are 2 piggers.
We have it up near the fence which is actually pallets, and we can reach over and dump the food in the two ends and they generally each go on their respective ends. Of course they switch several times during feeding to make sure the other isnt getting something better than they are. At one point they managed to break one end and we had to pull it out to fix it and temporarily used a couple of those large rubber bowls to dump their feed in. Originally we used them for water before they got big and before we set up their waterer. The fun part is getting them back. They root them around and play with them and they end up in the middle of the pen. 
Anything else they end up using as a toy and even the trough if pushed out too far, will end up way out of reach and we have to go in and get it. These are critters that flip cement blocks with their noses like they were nothing.


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## stifflej (Aug 11, 2008)

You can see a pic of the grain feeder I built at the thread below. it is 42"x42"x42"H, holds about 400lbs, and feeds 8 pigs.

http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=322021


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## T Rice (Oct 6, 2006)

I built mine loosely based on a plan on this website.

http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/extension/ExtPubs/PlanList97.htm#Swine Plans

Lots of good stuff on there.

TR


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## fixer1958 (Dec 12, 2005)

karenbrat1 said:


> Are you feeding commercial feed? If so get a metal self feeder from your farm store and tie it to the fence. Put a 50 lb sack in and forget about it til the next time to fill it.


Thats basically what I did. I didn't buy one, I just looked one over and made one out of plywood. Cost maybe $15 and some time. It's weather proof and holds exactly #100 of feed.

I have it ratchet strapped to a huge ag tire that is 4' tall on it's side.
You can tell when it get's low because you can hear them slamming the lid and if I wait to long they knock it loose somehow and roll it down the hill.

It must be pretty stout because they haven't tore it up yet.

My camera doesn't like me anymore or I would post a pic.


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