With this plan, you can build a wild animal winter feeder, i.e., a feed holder that appears to be crucial for helping hungry animals survive when there is a lack of food in nature.

The plan is intended for nature lovers, the population living in nature or rural areas, i.e., anyone who loves or lives near wildlife and wants to keep wild animals happy and healthy in the worst weather. The wild animal feeder made according to this plan is intended to hold hay, clover or similar plant food, and is intended for roe deer, deer, goats and similar animals. The complete feeder can be made from timber normally used to build houses and roofs, which you can buy easily and cheaply. Adjust the dimensions of the feeder and its parts to the needs and dimensions of the material you are able to purchase. The construction is simple, so it's not a lot of hard work. For experienced craftsmen it takes just one look at the given picture, with no plan whatsoever, to know what exactly has to be done. The parts are interconnected with fasteners and nails (instead of nails, wood screws can be used).  The roof is made from wooden boards, but you can make it in many other ways. All that matters is that the feeder has a roof so that the food is not moistened with dew or rain.

 

Wild animal winter feeder plan
Project type
Project difficulty
Medium
Skill level
for DIY enthusiasts
for intermediate experienced woodworker
Level of workshop equipment
Hobby - Hand tools and power tools
Applied woodworking joints
Fasteners
Cross half lap joint
Dimensions

2210mm (87'') x 4440mm (174.8'') x 2989mm (117.68)

 

In order to make it as durable as possible, all parts of the feeder should be protected from the weather by multiple layers of some coating intended for the protection of wood in the outside environment. Wooden poles buried in the ground will quickly begin to decay, so consider carefully how to attach the feeder to the ground. One option is the surface mount system, but then you will have to build a concrete foundation, which can be tricky if you plan to install the feeder in a more difficult-to-access location. It may be a much simpler option to coat some of the poles that are to be put into the ground with tar or similar matter. When you dig holes for the poles, first pour stones into them, and then put the poles in. Thus the excess water in the ground will not stay around the poles for a long time but flow down the stones to the bottom of the holes.

 

Exploded view and parts list
Wild animal winter feeder - Parts list
Assembly drawing
Wild animal winter feeder - Assembly drawing
Wild animal winter feeder - Position of nails

Maintaining balance in nature is very important and we, humans as a species, have disrupted that balance to a large extent. It is high time that all of us who feel responsible and capable of doing something good started mitigating human negative impact on nature and wildlife. 

During cold winters with a lot of snow, it is enough to bring the animals food every couple of days; thus you help them overcome hunger and ease their severe living conditions. It would also be a good idea to attach a dish to the feeder and add some salt to it. Salt is needed not only by farm animals, but also by wild animals, especially because it is difficult for them to access natural resources of this precious mineral under the snow cover.

 

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Submitted by Ceh Jan