How | to | Make | Chicken Feeder | Silverware Caddy | Farmhouse

How and why I decided to make a chicken feeder silverware caddy. The process started when the silverware drawer in our kitchen cabinet broke. It’s old, I can’t blame it. My husband and our youngest son attempted many assorted repairs over the course of several months…yet the drawer remained useless. As a result, the silverware tray has resided on my countertop for way too many months. It took up valuable counter space and created disorganization in my kitchen. It was driving me crazy every day it was there. To ease my angst, I decided I needed to come up with a solution on my own.

The silverware drawer in the kitchen cabinet broke. So, the tray of silverware has been using valuable counter space for months.

The search for a silverware caddy began

I began to search online to purchase a silverware caddy. I was absolutely shocked at the outrageous prices for existing/premade versions with price tags of $20-$30 and more. Never could I bring myself to pay those prices. And, I noticed the premade silverware caddies offered limited abilities. Those designs would not hold, nor organize all the items in my silverware tray. To save money and get what I needed, I knew I would have to make it myself. I just had to wrack my brain for a functional and frugal solution.

Inspired by the Chicken Coop

The inspiration for my silverware caddy came to me one day while I was standing at the kitchen window, drinking my morning coffee. I glanced at the chicken coop in the yard and the proverbial light bulb shined bright in my brain! AHHHH HA, the chicken feeders have individual sections that could hold and organize all the assorted pieces of silverware. With that in mind, off to Tractor Supply I went to peruse the possibilities.

Shopping Tractor Supply For a Chicken Feeder

Let me preface this by saying…as a country girl and farm girl, I love shopping in a Tractor Supply store. Just walking into the store makes me smile. I love the smells, the merchandise and the atmosphere. I could spend all day in Tractor Supply. The creative possibilities send my brain reeling. And I want to buy all their farmhouse decorations-seriously, I really do. Sigh, I digress. Back to reality reminding myself why I went there on this particular mission. Ah yes, to find a chicken feeder.

Frugal Tip: Always peruse the clearance aisle(s) first

Upon entering Tractor Supply, I made a quick dash to the clearance aisle at the back of the store. Shopping is scary during these COVID times. Even though I was masked and sanitized, I knew I couldn’t “lolly-gag” (as Grandma used to say). So I was moving quickly. As I approached the clearance aisle, I immediately saw colorful plastic chicken feeders in light blue and bright red. They were marked down to $1.99…yes please and thank you! I quickly scooped up the pretty blue one.

A vessel for my chicken feeder silverware caddy

Chicken feeder in hand, I dashed off to the chicken accessories aisle to see what I could use under the feeder to contain my silverware. OOOoooh, something shiny caught my eye…a galvanized pail with an opening exactly the same size as the chicken feeder! SCORE! And it was only $3.99! Hmmm, now I was second guessing my choice of a blue chicken feeder with the galvanized pail. Maybe I should get a galvanized chicken feeder instead? Sadly, the shelf for that type of chicken feeder at Tractor Supply was empty. Wah, Wah! No worries, I was quite thrilled with my finds and off to the cashier I went.

Galvanized pail and blue plastic chicken feeder from Tractor Supply Co.

Support the little stores too…

On my way home, I stopped at our local Claiborne Farmers Co-op to get the hens a bag of laying mash. As I was walking to the counter to pay for the chicken feed, I noticed plenty of galvanized chicken feeders. One style was $3.99-it had an additional opening in the center. The other style was $2.99 with no opening in the center. I purchased the one with the additional opening-planning to fill it with serving spoons, a meat fork, ice cream scoop and various other smaller utensils. Thrilled with my find, I rushed home to put the pieces together.

A galvanized chicken feeder from our local Claiborne Farms Co-Op. I shall use this feeder instead and save the blue plastic one for another project.

Items needed to make a chicken feeder silverware caddy and links to purchase some of them…

A chicken feeder-https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/harris-farms-baby-chick-feeder?cm_vc=-10005 OR https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/flock-party-poly-screw-on-feeder-base-blue-1030650
A galvanized pail-https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/king-metalworks-hot-dipped-galvanized-pail-60-oz-capacity?cm_vc=-10005
An empty tin can measuring 4″ wide x 2″ high or florist foam cut to fit
Small clean stones or rocks https://www.dollartree.com/mixed-glass-gems-10oz-bags/291594
Tube of permanent adhesive glue
Hot glue sticks / glue gun
Decorative rope-https://www.dollartree.com/floral-garden-decorative-nautical-rope-95ft-strands/291402
Wood and metal chicken ornament or other appropriate embellishment

How to make a chicken feeder silverware caddy…

1. Remove the handle form the pail

Using a pair of needle nose pliers, pry open the handle and remove it from the pail.

2. Separate the chicken feeder pieces

Using a small thin flat head screwdriver, gently pry apart the chicken feeder top from the chicken feeder base.

Use a flathead screwdriver, to pry apart the chicken feeder base from the top

3. Filling the bottom of the pail

Adding certain items in the bottom of the pail raises the base inside to accommodate the various sized pieces of silverware. I used an empty tin that formerly contained canned chicken. It was exactly the right width and height for what I needed. My husband thought I was silly for washing and saving it. Who’s laughing now?!

Trash to treasure-save those empty food cans! This is a good deep tin from canned chicken.

Put the empty can upside down in the bottom of the galvanized pail and glue it in place

NOTE: not shown, glue the tin can to the inside bottom of the pail.

4. Fill the remaining space in the bottom of the pail

To fill the remaining space in the bottom of the pail both around and on top of the tin can, use stones that have been washed and dried first.

The stones provide a substance for the silverware to nestle themselves in-between. This prevents them from sliding around inside the pail.

If you don’t like the colored glass gems, then you can use any type of small stones-as long as they are clean. I just happen to like these pretty blue ones.

Wash and dry the stones to go into the pail

Add the colored glass stones/gems just until they surround and cover the empty tin can

5. Test the design before gluing

Before gluing the pieces in place, I tested the design first. I needed to make sure the silverware would fit through the openings and be secure within the stones. It all worked and I was already loving it!

Making sure that the silverware fits in the chicken feeder openings and the stones in the bucket will support and secure everything properly

6. Secure the pieces together

To secure the chicken feeder to the galvanized pail, I used a tube of adhesive that I had on-hand. Honestly, I’m not sure where I purchased it. Any type of permanent adhesive like E6000 or clear Gorilla Glue would work. Since it takes awhile for the adhesive to set, I used my hot glue gun along with the adhesive for a quicker set.

Applying adhesive to the top of the galvanized pail

7. Secure and align the pieces

After the glues are applied, take a few minutes to hold the pieces in place. Add pressure to the top of the feeder to help the pieces adhere together and align properly.

Once the glues are applied to the chicken feeder and pail, apply pressure and hold the pieces in place for a few minutes until the bond is secure

8. Finishing touches

Rope adds a finished touch to this project and a bit of farmhouse flair. I applied the rope along the edges where the feeder and the pail were glued together. I also applied the rope on the base, to complete the look. (see step 11)

Rope from The Dollar Tree to add the finishing touches to the chicken feeder silverware caddy

Gluing the rope around the silverware caddy, where the chicken feeder and pail were glued together

9. Preparing the base

Crimp the edges of the rim on the feeder base. This step is not necessary, I just like the look better.

Crimp the edges of the chicken feeder base

11. Finishing touch to the base

To add a finished look, apply the adhesive and hot glue to the rim of the chicken feeder base and then place the rope on the glues.

Applying adhesive to the rim of the chicken feeder base to add rope for a finishing touch

Finished look of the chicken feeder base with the rope in place

12. It’s all about the right embellishment…

Where the rope ends meet, I added a painted wooden cow embellishment-that I already had on-hand. I originally left the rope ends frayed and hanging. Later decided I didn’t like the look and trimmed them.

Finishing touch-I added a small painted wooden cow that I had on-hand. Later, I decided I wasn’t fond of this and replaced it with something else

The perfect embellishment came in the form of a wonderful Christmas tree ornament-a gift from my best friend/neighbor Carol. To make the ornament work on the silverware caddy, all I had to do was remove the hanger portion of the ornament. And glue it on the rope edging.

As you can see, the corrugated metal on the chicken ornament goes so well with the metal pail and the burlap bow goes so well with the rope. It truly is the perfect embellishment. And it makes sense that a chicken should embellish a chicken feeder! LOL!

The perfect embellishment for the chicken feeder silverware caddy is this wonderful wood and corrugated metal Christmas tree ornament in the shape of a chicken with a burlap bow

And Here’s The Finished Chicken Feeder Silverware Caddy…

Bonus design: by adding the chicken feeder base under the bucket, it created an ability to freely spin the silverware caddy around to reach things on all sides with ease!

Another Bonus: the bucket is metal, providing a place for a magnetic can/bottle opener. This way, the opener is conveniently accessible.

Using a galvanized pail for a silverware caddy also created space to add a magnetic can/bottle opener-making it easily accessible

This chicken feeder silverware caddy is perfect for our chicken themed farmhouse kitchen.

**The chicken theme decor in our kitchen was created with the blessing of this amazing rooster painting-a gift from Larry Baker at Oak Studio https://www.facebook.com/Oak-Studio-650950995323930/**

Cost to Craft a Chicken Feeder Silverware Caddy

$3.99* for the galvanized chicken feeder or $1.99 for the colored plastic version
$3.99* for the galvanized pail
$1.00* for the rope
$2.00 for 2 bags of stones
Additional costs for glues and embellishments

I already had quite a few items from the list above…so, I only spent $8.98* to create this fabulously frugal chicken feeder silverware caddy. I’m beyond thrilled with my creation and also the cost!

Though I did not use the blue plastic chicken feeder for this project. I do plan to use it in the near future. Stay tuned.

I hope you enjoyed seeing this creation and reading about how I made it. Please be sure to like, subscribe and share frugalanddelicious.com with all your friends and family. It would truly mean the world to me.

Take Care, Be Safe…Virtual Hugs All Around!

Chauncey

How to Make a Chicken Feeder Silverware Caddy