Those of us who spend our mornings scrubbing out and refilling waterers, shoveling manure, and topping off feeders, have one view of the utilitarian metal items in our backyard chicken pens. We don’t think about bringing them inside and putting them on our dining room tables! However, these days rusty farm implements are chic. Yesterday, at the Brimfield flea market, I spied an assortment of feeders, no longer fit for animal use that were being sold for more than the price of new galvanized merchandize at Tractor Supply. I have to say that tidied up, this makes a charming plate rack.
I spent several hours wandering the booths. I bought two eggs cups (of course!) and a vintage agriculture brochure. And then I went to Tractor Supply, where they have shiny feeders and waterers, which I didn’t need (remember all of that scrubbing in the mornings?) But, I did buy something new and made of metal. I bought a farm gate for the goat paddock, which to my mind is very beautiful, indeed. We’ll see if it is goat-proof as claimed. Pip and Caper love a challenge. You’ll get to see the new gate after I put my teenage son to work digging post holes and installing it!
Um. No. I’ll pass on the ‘plate rack’. And a goat proof gate? (snickers a bit) Can’t wait to see it!
I admire your strength of will to come home with only a couple of egg cups and gate from a flea market. Of course the way I resist is not going off island to attend any because my will-power is not nearly as good as yours. I love watching the T.V. shows that have challenges for people given a budget then they are to buy items then re-purpose them to sell later at a higher price. Some of them are so creative and talented! Fun stuff….. Did you give up on the idea of a Home-made welded gate? :) I guess there will always be a place to put one in your beautiful property sometime in the future.
I might use a decorative handmade welded gate for the veg garden, but the goats need tubular steel!
There is no flex in the rebar gates….I can assure you no goat would be moving through them! Not even fat bellied ones looking for a treat…….:)
That plate rack is exactly what I use for my adult hens. I have had it over 20 years (bought it at an auction) I absolutely love it.
There is no waste, the hens can’t get in it and the sides are deep enough and slanted so that the hens cannot flip the food out with their beaks.
Mine still has metal legs and Purina embossed on both sides.
If yours still has the logo, it’s worth something, but having the perfect feeder is worth more.
I think that feeder is exactly what I need for my girls. I’ve been using some round tubs but they tend to flip the food out as Ken mentioned…or they just climb in which tends to flip the tub on its side. I’ll keep it for 20 years and then make a nice plate rack out of it. :-)
Sorry, I love the idea, but I would buy a NEW one, wash it real good, and then use it for a plate rack! I’m afraid I would never feel like a used one was really clean!
Yes, we know where they’ve been :)
Ha! Ha! Yea! I would bet that the folks eating off those plates never cleaned a chicken feeder!