On the shelves of supermarkets at any time of the year you can find fresh fruits and vegetables. Not a problem today to buy poultry meat. Why, then, summer residents do not stop growing their own crops and do not abandon the farm. We are confident that each of the gardeners and poultry farmers will tell you how much the products grown by their own hands are tastier, juicier and more environmentally friendly. But if even urban summer residents can contain a garden, then raising chickens is not so simple. However, for our craftsmen, a do-it-yourself feeder is not a problem. It would be a desire, and we will select information for home-made appliances for you.
Overview of various devices
A balanced and, very importantly, timely nutrition is necessary to ensure that the chickens are healthy. But modern people have a lot to do and it’s not always possible to follow the feeding time. It is much simpler if the feeding process will take place with the help of a device that feeds the feed in automatic mode. We offer you several options for homemade feeders and drinking bowls. We will be glad if any of the proposed models make your life easier.
Constantly remembering the hours of feeding poultry is very difficult. Given that a farmer can leave for a day or two, bunker-type feeders become an indispensable thing
Option # 1 - a pipe to you, a layer!
The most ingenious inventions, as a rule, are very simple. This is exactly what the idea of using polypropylene pipes can be considered.
To assemble the necessary device you will need:
- pipes of various diameters;
- couplings;
- connecting devices.
We attach a part to the polypropylene pipe, which is called the "connecting elbow". The resulting design is placed in the chicken coop. We put feed into the pipe from above, then close the upper end of the structure with a lid. Gravity feed enters the knee. As the chickens consume food, it will be added to the knee from the pipe. In the pipe, the level of the product will gradually decrease. In a few days it will be possible to pour a new portion of feed into the pipe.
A similar design is good if there are few birds on the farm. Otherwise, the connecting elbow can be replaced with another pipe, fixing it parallel to the floor. The birds will be able to get feed from a horizontal pipe through the holes in it. Such a feeder not only saves owners time, but also a place in the chicken coop: it is conveniently located and does not bother anyone.
Here is a simple feeding trough made of a polypropylene pipe. You must admit that it’s difficult to come up with something simpler than this elementary device
Of course, if there are a lot of chickens on the farm, you can simply make a lot of pipes for feeding them. But we will do it easier and attach another pipe to the main one - horizontal, in which we make holes
The disadvantage of this device is one: the lack of limiters. Chickens can climb pipes, flood and spoil food.
Option # 2 - hopper type devices
If you buy an automatic bird feeder in specialized stores, you will have to pay a decent amount. Moreover, for a large economy, several similar products will be required. Meanwhile, there is nothing complicated in the proposed design.
When choosing a scrambler or portioned dog bowl to make such a feeder, do not lose sight of the fact that its diameter should be larger than the diameter of the base of the bucket
It is necessary to prepare:
- a plastic bucket that remains after repair;
- a sectional bowl for dogs or an inexpensive scoop for vegetables, also made of plastic;
- sharp knife.
In the bottom of the plastic bucket, cut out the holes in accordance with the number of compartments in the bastard. The size of the holes themselves should allow the feed to flow freely into the bastard. The bucket and the scaffold must be connected together using screws.
It is better not to put the feeder on the ground, but to hang it. In this case, the likelihood that chickens will climb on it is minimal
The feed is poured into the tank, the bucket is closed with a lid. The feeder can be placed on a horizontal surface or suspended so that birds can freely get food. By hanging the bucket by the handle in the right place, you can be calm that for several days the hens are fully provided with food.
Option # 3 - elementary dining room
For the construction you need very little time and the simplest materials. Prepare:
- capacity with a handle made of plastic;
- mesh netting;
- sharp knife.
The plastic container must be emptied, rinsed thoroughly and dried. Carefully cut the front part. We make an incision on the handle of the bottle so that it can be hung on the net with which the chicken coop is enclosed. We fall asleep directly into the bottle. It is important that the container is at a height as comfortable as possible for a feeding bird.
A feeder is being built in minutes. It’s good if the chicken coop is fenced with a net, otherwise you can just pull a piece of chain-link in the right place
Option # 4 - plywood feeder
Another option for the hopper can be made from a sheet of plywood. We cut vertical high walls and construct a box without a front part. The height of the feeder is approximately 90 cm. Thanks to this size, you can fill up a large amount of feed immediately.
Feed should not be stuck. To do this, put a piece of plywood in the bottom of the box so that it has a slight bias towards the front. Bulk feed will now roll down to where it will be available for chickens. The optimal slope when using granular feed is 20-25 degrees, and when feeding grain - 12-15 degrees.
Plywood feeder is also a simple device. It’s more difficult to take care of it than plastic products. Antiseptic coating can help out, but plastic is still more hygienic
The horizontal platform in front of the inclined plane is the place where the feed will fall. A common problem with many makeshift structures is the lack of limiters, due to which chickens cannot climb into the feeder, sprinkle food and spoil the food with their livelihoods. In this case, the problem is solved with the help of restrictive sides. The front side must be made at least 6 cm, and the side - two times more.
The advantages of this design are its spaciousness and security. Using this device, you can be sure that the forage is enough for a long time, it will be spent rationally, will not wake up and will not be spoiled
It remains to attach the front wall and you're done. The feeder will last a long time if it is carefully treated with antiseptic drugs. Use a spray gun for this purpose. Finished and even elegant look to the product will give the coating of acrylic paint. You can assemble all the parts together using a screwdriver and self-tapping screws.
Option # 5 - fixtures made of plastic
Food plastic is an excellent material from which you can make convenient drinkers and the same “plates” for chickens. The undoubted advantage of these devices is their mobility. They can be transported and placed in the place where it is convenient for the farmer.
To work, you need to cook:
- two buckets made of plastic;
- two water bottles that are used in a household cooler;
- a piece of polypropylene pipe with a length of about 25 cm and a large diameter;
- electric drill and drill 20 and 8 mm in diameter;
- electric jigsaw.
Openings should be made in the buckets so that the birds could easily reach the water and food, but could not get inside. To make the openings the same and neat, you can use the template. Putting it on the walls of the buckets and circling it with a felt-tip pen, we get the contours of future holes.
From the point of view of aesthetic perception, these drinkers and feeders are very good. But they are also unusually functional.
We outline the hole by drilling an 8 mm diameter drill in each hole. For cutting openings we use an electric jigsaw. For plastic, a file is suitable for wood and metal, but you need to choose a product with a small tooth.
From a piece of polypropylene pipe we make two stops: for feed and for water. Thanks to this adaptation, the neck of the tank will not touch the bottom of the bucket, and it will be possible to control the supply of feed and water. We divide the pipe with a jigsaw into segments of 10 and 15 cm. We take a short piece and drill three holes at a distance of 3 cm from the edge with a drill of 20 mm diameter. In a long section of the pipe, we also drill holes with the same drill, but at a distance of 5 cm from the edge. Next, we cut the segments in a long section with a jigsaw to make it look like a crown with three teeth.
It is very convenient that the buckets have handles for which these structures can be moved to the place of use. There you can either install devices or hang them all for the same handles
We fill the containers with water and feed. We put a long stopper on the bottle with food, and a short one on the one with water. We cover the containers with buckets and turn over. The fixtures are ready. Both a feeder and a drinking bowl can be made so quickly and easily from materials that are easy to obtain. Thanks to the presence of handles, both devices are convenient to carry. This is the most hygienic and successful option.
Video master class: bottle feeder
There were more ways to make a device for fattening. To eliminate this obvious injustice, we suggest you watch a video on how to make a very simple drinker for chickens from plastic bottles that you can buy in any store.
