A mineral feeder for goats should be sturdy, keep the contents clean and dry, and be easy to fill and check. This homemade PVC loose mineral feeder for goats checks all the boxes. Make your own durable, gravity-fed mineral feeder for goats with these step-by-step directions.
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I’ve tried lots of different methods for giving my goats minerals. Read my review of 6 options here. What has worked the best are these homemade PVC feeders. They are durable and keep the loose mineral, salt, or baking soda clean and dry.
They are made from 4-inch PVC pipe and are partially filled with concrete on the inside to provide an incline for gravity feeding. They can be fastened to the wall with metal pipe hanger straps and screws.
Build difficulty level: Easy
Estimated cost for 1 feeder: $80
Note that the cost of making additional feeders will be less because you will already have some of the materials handy! The 2-foot section of Schedule 40 PVC pipe, PVC cement, concrete, and pipe strap can be used for making several feeders. We made 3 mineral feeders at one time.
You will need the same number of wyes, drain caps, cleanouts, and plugs as the number of feeders you want to make. If you want to make 1 feeder, use the materials list below. To make 3 feeders, buy 3 each of the wyes, drain caps, cleanouts, and plugs.
Materials for Making 1 PVC Mineral Feeder
1 4-inch 45-degree wye
1 4-inch sewer and drain cap
1 4-inch threaded sewer and drain fitting cleanout
1 4-inch threaded PVC cleanout plug
1 2-foot section of Schedule 40 PVC pipe
1 bag of concrete
Bucket, stir stick, and water for mixing concrete
Screws
Directions for Making 1 PVC Mineral Feeder
- Using a hand saw, cut a 4-inch piece from the 2-foot section of Schedule 40 pipe, set it aside
- Situate the wye so that you have a top, an opening at a 45-degree angle, and a bottom
- Using PVC cement, put the 4-inch piece of PVC pipe that you cut in step 1 between the bottom of the main body (wye) and sewer and drain cap
- Now you should have a permanently closed bottom for the feeder
- Using PVC cement, attach the threaded sewer and drain fitting cleanout to the top of the main body (wye)
- Now you can use the threaded cleanout plug as a removable lid by screwing and it on and off of the top of the feeder
- Mix up concrete according to the directions on the bag
- Put enough concrete into the wye so that it fills the bottom portion and allows for an incline for gravity feeding of minerals. Do not over fill
- Prop the wye up so that the concrete stays in place while it hardens
- Allow the concrete to fully harden
- Using a power drill and screws, secure the PVC mineral feeder to the wall with pipe strap cut to length
- Fill the feeder with loose minerals, salt, or baking soda and allow goats access to it. Make sure to screw the lid on after filling
- Check mineral levels once a month and fill as necessary
Let us know how this project worked for you in the comments below!
Mother, farmer, author, and teacher by trade… She loves tending to things and watching them grow!