Animal feeding system having a mountable feeding bucket

A method comprising:

• providing a feed bucket that includes a receptacle portion having a base at a lower end thereof, sidewalls coupled to the base, and a rim of the sidewalls defining an opening at an upper end thereof opposite the base, and a mounting portion having an upper wall fixed to and extending from the sidewalls of the receptacle portion and an outer wall extending from the upper wall along and spaced apart from the sidewalls of the receptacle portion to define a recess between the upper wall and the outer wall of the mounting portion and the sidewalls of the receptacle portion, the mounting portion having a slot adjacent a lower end of the receptacle portion that provides access to the recess and, wherein
• the sidewalls of the receptacle portion have contoured cross-sectional shapes that extend from the base of the receptacle portion, protrude inward, and then flare outward at the rim, and wherein
• the outer wall of the mounting portion extends to a distance substantially along the bottom of the receptacle portion;
• securing a mounting bracket to a structure wherein
• the mounting bracket is a channel plate bracket that includes a first plate configured to be secured to the structure, oppositely disposed end walls extending from the first plate, and a pair of oppositely disposed flanges connected to and extending from the end walls, wherein the flanges extend toward each other and wherein
• the mounting bracket extends to a position substantially below a bottom of the receptacle portion,
• coupling the feed bucket to the mounting bracket by inserting a securing member of the mounting bracket through the slot and into the recess of the mounting portion of the receptacle portion to releasably secure the feed bucket to the structure;
• and,
• storing an animal feed in a space of the receptacle portion defined by, in combination, the base and the sidewalls thereof.