There are lots of PVC chicken feeders out there, and several folks have gone with a design very similar to this one. But I haven't seen the extra three-inch piece added to the Y connector: without that small extension the chickens managed to spill quite a lot of food, but that three-inch piece cut spillage to almost zero!
We tried a 180-degree elbow with the edge cut off: the birds were able to eat just fine but they spilled quite a lot, and closing the pipe for waterproofing and rodent-proofing would have required additional engineering. We considered quite a few other variations, but they all had drawbacks; mostly related to spillage and security.
At first the bottom part connected to the "Y" was only three inches long and the birds didn't like that much, so we set it up on a brick and the chickens seemed to like the altitude better, so the final version uses a six-inch length of pipe to place the food where the chickens can easily reach it.
Another way to go (and in response to some reader comments): if you add some kind of plug right at the bottom of the Y, the birds would be able to reach all the food. It will take you more than 3 minutes to assemble, but it would be more efficient. Of course, it's best to use plastic or something else that can be thoroughly cleaned. Most of the plugs I see out there would work, but you'd be back to the height problem (if you're concerned about chicken ergonomics). Easy to fix: just mount the feeder higher. Or: run a long carriage bolt through the base cap (or plug), letting the end stick out and hit the ground, like the spike that sticks out of the bottom of a stand-up bass or cello.
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Seeing how much the self refilling feeders cost at the feed store put me in financial shock. The cheapest one was $30 bucks !! I decided to scour the Internet and see if anybody had any DIY ideas on how to build one at home. There's thousands of ideas! Unfortunately most were not as durable or were too complicated for me to do quickly and easily. Until I found this pin on Pinterest http://www.juxtapost.com/site/permlink/938a61c0-c274-11e1-bef7-b526981001c8/post/build_a_chicken_feeder_on_the_cheep/ . I remembered seeing a dish like that at the dollar store and so my build began.....
1) chip and relish dish from the Dollar Tree $1. 2) 2.5 gallon bucket from hardware store $3 (you can get this size bucket for free from the grocery store in the bakery department. They are used to transport icing. You just have to be diligent and persistent as they disappear quickly). 3) 2.5 gallon bucket lid $.99 (if you don't find a free bucket). 4) Various nuts and bolts , drill, small and large drill bits. Hopefully you have these or can borrow them from someone who does :)
I have had growing problems with squirrels climbing the pole to my bird feeder and eating all the birdseed. I wanted to find a low maintenance and easy to install, permanent solution. The traditional baffles that look like a half circle don't always work, and lubing up the pole with Vaseline doesn't really seem too kind to the squirrel. After watching three of the little varmints climbing the pole hand over hand I remembered the "Flexi-Perch squirrel proof bird feeder" by billr that I had seen quite some time ago on instructables.
This bird feeder is pole mounted, which makes it easy for the squirrel to climb the pole hand over hand. 
Birds are fascinating creatures, and we want to help you get close to them! Birds are not only integral to our ecosystem but provide us with great pleasure in our daily lives with their cheerful songs, intriguing movements and broad spectrum of colours. So this week we decided to pay a little homage to our feathered friends. 
To make this friendly bird feeder, you will need a large milk or juice carton (we painted ours!), a few pencils, some bottle lids, cupcake liners, a plastic container lid, some string, cardboard, two Makedo Lock-hinges, and nine Makedo Re-clips.