I'm thinking of making an elevated (would be about 2.5 feet above the ground) cotton seed feeder out of a barrel. I've used a poultry/welded wire ring on the ground before but was not a fan of it sitting on the ground and/or being rained on so much. I've made turkey feeders in the past and was thinking of going with the same concept but making the hole wider and taller. Below is a pic of the last turkey feeder i built. I'm thinking i would make the hole taller going from the very bottom to the first barrel ring. I typically make it 3 inches wide but was wondering if you think i should go a little wider so a deer can stick its mouth further in? Note I do use rubber gaskets on the hole edges so animals dont cut themselves on the barrel. I'm also trying to figure out what the most economical material would be to make a cone in the middle so the cotton seed would gravitate more to the edges. if anyone has done something similar i'd appreciate their take.

AgySkeet06 said:

---

I'm thinking of making an elevated (would be about 2.5 feet above the ground) cotton seed feeder out of a barrel. I've used a poultry/welded wire ring on the ground before but was not a fan of it sitting on the ground and/or being rained on so much. I've made turkey feeders in the past and was thinking of going with the same concept but making the hole wider and taller. Below is a pic of the last turkey feeder i built. I'm thinking i would make the hole taller going from the very bottom to the first barrel ring. I typically make it 3 inches wide but was wondering if you think i should go a little wider so a deer can stick its mouth further in? Note I do use rubber gaskets on the hole edges so animals dont cut themselves on the barrel. I'm also trying to figure out what the most economical material would be to make a cone in the middle so the cotton seed would gravitate more to the edges. if anyone has done something similar i'd appreciate their take.

---

Couple of questions. First off, you call that a Turkey feeder while others would call it a free use deer, pig, and coon feeder with turkeys getting a nibble now and then

I've never fed cottonseed but I don't think water hitting it is ever an issue. But wonder what would happen with moisture in constant contact inside of a barrel. Seems mold would be more likely with the lack of airflow.

Finally, if you want an outward funnel, just tape over the opening of a cheap academy funnel that fits your barrel and put it in upside down.

I did something similar this past fall. Our farm south of Dallas gets too much rain for it sit on the ground without molding so I used an older protein feeder and cut the bottom out.

The feeder itself has worked great, but getting the deer on the cottonseed hasn't been the easiest. I'm considering switching it to alfalfa if the cottonseed never really takes off.

Not to derail the thread, but for those feeding cottonseed, where do you get it?

I know where I could get a semi load no problem. Something smaller seems to be a mystery for me.

TSC has fortified. 5-E ranch products here in el campo sells it by the bag.

OP- why not make a table like structure and do the ol wire ring on top? I'd be worried about lack of air circulation in a barrel

https://fortifiedcottonseed.com/dealers

It's certainly not the cheapest supplemental feed, but I wasn't sure they'd take to it anyways.

Leona Valley Gin in Batesville. We use the standard mesh feeder. No issues. They are hammering it right now.

We get ours in Sinton texas (1000 lb totes)

We use wire mesh around a t post
And then put an elec wire spool at the bottom to keep the cottonseed out of javvies reach

Will take a pic this weekend

Op, what about something like the one pictured here? Top is covered, bottom is an elevated inverted "V"

saysomethin said:

---

Leona Valley Gin in Batesville. We use the standard mesh feeder. No issues. They are hammering it right now.

---

This. Not sure why you would overthink feeding cottonseed. Deer eat grass and corn off the ground all the time. They will be just fine with eating cottonseed off the ground. The rain has zero effect on it. I've fed it for years in this manner and the deer tear it up. It cost all of a few dollars to make too. Sometimes it takes the deer a couple weeks to get into it on the first feeding, but then it's off to the races. I'm going to add a third wire pen on the next trip down because they are eating it so fast. Each one holds about 350 lbs.

Im gonna do a setup similar to Watchful.....but in the short term.... t post with some hog wire around it..... getting absolutely pounded. Brown County

I thought about going this direction didnt want to make a basket that was flimsy and would get bent up over time. What did you use to make the cage? Are the squares about 4"?

tandy miller said:

---

5-E ranch products here in el campo sells it by the bag.

---

This is one of the driving reasons I am building the feeder because I am in El Campo too and easy access to the 5-E Products

txaggie02 said:

---

This. Not sure why you would overthink feeding cottonseed. Deer eat grass and corn off the ground all the time. They will be just fine with eating cottonseed off the ground. The rain has zero effect on it. I've fed it for years in this manner and the deer tear it up. It cost all of a few dollars to make too. Sometimes it takes the deer a couple weeks to get into it on the first feeding, but then it's off to the races.

---

I'm not trying to over complicate it but i'm not hunting a dryland area in south texas. I hunt creek bottom areas that can become very swampy when it rains and dont want the cotton seed sitting in water for extended periods of time. And since my hunting area backs up to a rice field water has flooded into my area before.

Yep, standard hog paneling.

Just cut a strip and roll into place. Grab an extra set of hands for this part and watch for sharp edges from the paneling. I also used green garden fence for the bottom of the basket to keep the cottonseed from falling out too fast.

Finish the basket and then tack weld to the underbelly of the feeder. It's nowhere near perfect, but it works great for this purpose.

AgySkeet06 said:

---

txaggie02 said:

---

This. Not sure why you would overthink feeding cottonseed. Deer eat grass and corn off the ground all the time. They will be just fine with eating cottonseed off the ground. The rain has zero effect on it. I've fed it for years in this manner and the deer tear it up. It cost all of a few dollars to make too. Sometimes it takes the deer a couple weeks to get into it on the first feeding, but then it's off to the races.

---

I'm not trying to over complicate it but i'm not hunting a dryland area in south texas. I hunt creek bottom areas that can become very swampy when it rains and dont want the cotton seed sitting in water for extended periods of time. And since my hunting area backs up to a rice field water has flooded into my area before.

---

How much water are we talking? If you are talking about a few inches like your picture shows, then just take a bucket that is the approximate diameter of the pen, cut it to whatever height you want it, turn it upside down and drop it into the pen. That would keep the cotton off the ground.

txaggie02 said:

---

AgySkeet06 said:

---

txaggie02 said:

---

This. Not sure why you would overthink feeding cottonseed. Deer eat grass and corn off the ground all the time. They will be just fine with eating cottonseed off the ground. The rain has zero effect on it. I've fed it for years in this manner and the deer tear it up. It cost all of a few dollars to make too. Sometimes it takes the deer a couple weeks to get into it on the first feeding, but then it's off to the races.

---

I'm not trying to over complicate it but i'm not hunting a dryland area in south texas. I hunt creek bottom areas that can become very swampy when it rains and dont want the cotton seed sitting in water for extended periods of time. And since my hunting area backs up to a rice field water has flooded into my area before.

---

How much water are we talking? If you are talking about a few inches like your picture shows, then just take a bucket that is the approximate diameter of the pen, cut it to whatever height you want it, turn it upside down and drop it into the pen. That would keep the cotton off the ground.

---

Back left has a higher dry spot in this pic. Lots of the cottonseed is going to fall on the ground when they eat anyway so I wouldn't be overly concerned if a couple of inches at the bottom sat in a little water every now and then.

chris1515 said:

---

Not to derail the thread, but for those feeding cottonseed, where do you get it?

I know where I could get a semi load no problem. Something smaller seems to be a mystery for me.

---

You can get cottonseed from most feed stores. We typically get corn at either Dilley Feed & Grain or Mumme's and both sell cottonseed by the 50 gal bag. However, if you are buying from a reseller or buying in 50 lb bags, it's not very cost effective. If you have the capability, the ideal situation is to buy a supersack directly from the gin. Somebody like United Ag.