Successful breeding chickens or quails at homemini-farm can only be provided proper feeding. Compound feed and grain birds should receive in sufficient quantities. In addition, the owner of the household economy, of course, be sure to observe the regime of feeding birds. Otherwise, chickens and quails will not go well and slowly gain weight.
Однако, к сожалению, возможность посещения 3-4 hen houses for feeding feathered pets are not available to every mini-farm owner. This is especially true for summer residents. The way out of this situation can be to install such a convenient device as a bunker feeder for quails and chickens in the barn. If desired, it is possible to assemble such a structure with your own hands.
Benefits of use
Most often in poultry houses set longV-shaped trough-trough, knocked out of the boards. The design of these devices is such that chickens can not get inside in order to dig in the grain (and scatter it), as well as leave a litter. However, the size of the V-shaped troughs are such that too much food in them can not be poured. If, however, to make such a feeder of a larger size, then it would not be difficult for the chickens to climb inside. With all the ensuing consequences. Yes, and such a design space in the barn will take a lot. Therefore, the owners of poultry houses and have to fill the chickens grain several times a day.
Bunker feeder (photos of similar structurescan be seen on the page), this lack is completely devoid. Having filled up the grain in this device, it is possible not to enter the house for several days. Of course, for gardeners who breed both chickens and quails, coming to their country plot a maximum of twice a week, this is very convenient.
Design Features
What is a feeder for chickensbunker? Structurally, the device is not too complicated. It consists of two main parts: a large bunker for grain and a tray, designed specifically for feeding birds. Using this design is very simple. The grain stored in the bunker is poured into the tray gradually, as it is eaten by the hens. Of course, the bird does not have the opportunity to climb inside the feeders of this design. The tray is too small for this. Pour the food into the hopper through the hole made at the top using a funnel.
In specialized stores today are soldbunker feeders for chickens of all sizes, made from a variety of materials. Most of them are easy to use. However, the devices of this type assembled at the plant are quite expensive. Therefore, many homeowners are interested in how to make a feeder with their own hands. The design of such devices, as already mentioned, is extremely simple.
What materials can be used
Self-made feeders for chickens of this variety can be made:
from plastic bottles of different sizes;
old garden buckets;
from sewer pipes;
plywood, etc.
In general, it is possible to make such a convenient adaptation, including from the available materials in any household.
Bottle use
The easiest way to make such a device asautomatic feeder for chickens, from plastic containers from under mineral water, juices, etc. The device for an adult bird is made of three bottles: two for 5 liters and one for 3 liters. It is important to choose a container with sufficiently dense walls. The procedure for the manufacture of feeders in this case should be as follows:
One of the five-liter bottles is cut in half.
The upper part of the container can be thrown out.In the lower half should be made five square holes about 5 * 5 cm in size (around the whole circumference). Cut them with a sharp knife at the height of the first rib below.
From the bottle in 3 liters you need to cut off the top of the neck. The result is a pretty comfortable funnel.
How to feed a bird
In use the bunker feeder,made of plastic bottles is extremely simple. Grain is poured into the remaining five-liter bottle through a plastic funnel. Filling tare should be a little more than half. Then the bottle is gently turned over (the neck needs to be held with a palm) and inserted into the trimmed part with the holes. At the same time the neck should be on the bottom.
Of course, the weight of homemade feeders (and drinkers) forchickens made from plastic bottles are small. At the same time, their sizes are quite significant. Therefore, chickens can easily turn over such a device In order to avoid this, the structure should be fastened to the wall through the holes made in the plastic bin.
Design for chickens
Кормушка для кур бункерная, технология production of which was discussed above, for small chicks, of course, will not work. Crawling through a hole in 5x5 cm chicken can very easily. Therefore, for chicks, feeders are made from small bottles (1.5 l). The principle of assembly in this case will be slightly different. A chick feeder is made as follows:
A 1.5-liter bottle is cut from the bottom with walls 10-12 cm high.
In it, as in the first case, holes are made. Of course, they should not be very big.
The top of the bottle is inserted in the bottom with the openings of the neck down. The cork must, of course, be removed from it.
How to make a feeder from a bucket
Bottle fittings are easy to use.use and manufactured elementary. However, sometimes homeowners are also interested in how to make a feeder with their own hands from a bucket. After all, this design may turn out to be more solid and durable than the bottle. The technology for making such types of feeders is also relatively simple. In addition to the bucket, in this case, you need a partitioned plate for seedlings. From it will be made convenient for chickens "tray". Make the feeder of this species as follows:
In the bucket, at the very bottom, 5-6 holes of the arched form are cut, about 2-3 cm high.
To the bottom of the bucket screw the partitioned plate. You can fasten it on ordinary screws.
A strong cord is tied to the bucket handle.
Feeding trough is suspended at the required height.
Pipe use
The bucket feeder is roomy and can servefor several years without the need for replacement. However, sometimes the owners of poultry houses make such devices from other materials. For example, an inexpensive and convenient bunker trough is obtained from sewer pipes (you can see the photo below). For the manufacture of devices in this case will need to purchase:
1.5 m wide tube;
two plastic corners (45 and 90);
cap;
three plastic clamps.
At first you should put a small corner on the pipe.(at 45). It should be fastened as tightly as possible. Further on a big corner is put on. The result should be a design with a knee, like a drainpipe (but with a slightly raised outlet). The feeder assembled in this way should be hung on the wall of the house, distributing the clamps evenly along the entire length.
The cap is only needed if the feedersupposed to be used outside. After filling the grain, it is simply put on the pipe from above. It turns out the cap, which prevents wetting of food in the rain.
Works such an automatic feeder for chickensextremely simple. A tin or plastic basin is inserted under the suspended pipe. If any hungry chicken starts to peck the grain from the corner at 90, it will wake down. Fallen in the same grain can eat other chickens.
Using plywood
Bucket and sewer pipe - materials,Perfectly suited for assembling such a convenient design as a bunker feeder for chickens. However, the most durable and solid still get fixtures knocked out of plywood. In addition, in the trough, made of such a material, you can pour a lot of grain. Make plywood bunker fixtures like this:
They knock out sheets of a long narrow vertical box without a bottom. His back wall should be slightly higher than the front.
A rectangular tray of the same width as the vertical box is knocked out of narrow boards. At the same time, its length should be 5-7 cm longer.
Attach the tray to the bottom of the box. The result is a large structure, in profile resembling an inverted letter "G".
Downed in such a way the manger does not differ in particular stability. Therefore, it should be screwed to the wall of the barn. On top of the vertical box, it is desirable to cover with a hinged lid.
Such a bunker trough is very well suitedfor quail. The only thing for this species of economic birds is to make the device much smaller. After all, they contain quail only in cages. Outdoor method of breeding such birds is too expensive for the equipment of the barn.
Сбитая из фанеры небольшая кормушка-«сапожок» в In this case, it is simply placed next to the cage so that the quails, with their heads stuck between the rods, can easily reach the grain in the tray. For reliability, the feeder should be attached to the frame of the cage for screws.
