Learn how to turn an old chicken waterer into a beautiful do-it-yourself planter to decorate your farmhouse or homestead.

Raising chickens can be summed up in three words. Dirty and delicious.

When God created chickens, cleanliness was not a characteristic he decided to add. Our feathered friends prefer to toss their feed across the coop, roll in the dirt and poop in their water rather than spend time keeping their home neat and tidy. Though I may occasionally question chicken etiquette (as if there was such a thing), it all makes it worth is when you collect a farm fresh egg. The taste and nutrients outshines any store bought egg.

My family has had chickens for about 5-6 years now. The dream started with about a dozen egg layers. My Mom ordered a variety of chickens from a local hatchery. A few barred rocks, golden buffs and a couple of wyandotte chickens (who I often refer to as raptors due to their demeanor).

We now have expanded our homestead chicken coop with a few dozen egg layers, including the beautiful easter egger chickens.

Over the past several years, we have learned much about taking care of chickens – how to build a chicken shelter, what to feed them, how to keep them warm in the summer and cool in the winter and how to protect them from predators. We recently switched from a metal to a plastic chicken feeder and waterer. We found we preferred the ease of use and longevity of the plastic chicken feeders to the metal containers. 

Decorate Your Homestead with a Do-It-Yourself Planter

Normally we probably would have tossed the unused metal feeders into the garbage but instead I saw inspiration in the rusty ol’ thing. I thought why not repurpose the waterer into a planter?

The chicken waterer filled with flowers would be a great way to add some decor to the porch on our homestead. All it needed was a little love and a good clean.

Turning the chicken waterer into a planter was easy and took less than 20 minutes to create. It pairs perfectly with our other outdoor farmhouse decorations.

Watch Video Tutorial

How to Turn a Chicken Waterer/Feeder into a Planter

Supplies

Metal chicken waterer or feeder
Potting soil
Flowers such as petunias or other small plants
Watering can or hose

Step 1

To transform an old chicken waterer or feeder into a planter, start out with a metal waterer. You can find these at farm supply stores like Tractor Supply or Family Farm and Home. Or if you have an old waterer you’re not using, even better. First, remove the top lid off of the chicken waterer. You will not need it for this project. But be sure to save it! You never know how you might be able to repurpose it in the future.

Step 2

Clean the waterer with a hose and/or scrub brush.

Step 3

Next, fill the waterer with potting soil about 2-3 inches from the top.

Step 4

Create 6 small holes in the soil using a shovel or your hand. Place the flower (I used petunias) into the hole and cover the base with soil. If you’re not starting with seeds, be sure to break up the roots so that they are not bound but free to grow and expand within the planter.

Step 5

Once all 6 flowers have been planted, give them a healthy drink of water using a hose or watering can.

Now find a place on your property for your beautiful planter. Since we planted petunias, they prefer full sun. We placed our planters at the entrance to our deck. Other great places would be your front steps or walkway, next to your barn or around your garden.

DIY Planter Ideas

There are dozen of other items that can be easily repurposed into a planter such as:

Wooden crates
Stock tanks
Watering cans
Crocks
Old nail keg barrels 
Metal wash tabs

More Garden Tutorials

DIY Wooden Planter Box

Start a Cut Flower Garden

How to Start Seeds Indoors

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