Nowadays, sometimes there is no time to do certain things, and having a household to go somewhere is even harder. If you are raising chickens, then an automatic feeder will be just a salvation for you. It can be made by hand. Materials for this can be used different. How to do this, read further in our article.

A new automatic chicken feeder in the store can cost quite a lot, and making it yourself from different materials is much easier. Feeding will take place automatically, without requiring your direct presence. Loose feed will come in as the hens peck the previous portion.

It will be great if our instructions help make your life easier. One way or another, people make repairs, buy new furniture, and the old remains. After all this, everyone probably has different materials. With their help, you can make something worthwhile with your own hands.

Materials we will need

  • plywood sheets;
  • wooden thin bars;
  • bolts from furniture;
  • loops;
  • saw;
  • electric drill.

Step-by-step instruction

  1. Let's start by drawing the details on the plywood: a feed lid, 2 side walls, a bottom, a back wall that is mounted at an angle, three front bars, a top cover, a wide pedal.
  2. From the boards you need to make 6 narrow crossbars. Two should be long, designed for the pedal, two shorter, for the cover over the feed tray and the last two are the shortest, to fasten this whole mechanism.
  3. Cut out all the details with your own hands with a saw and fasten together with screws. As a basis, you can take the feeder as in the photo above, but your imagination is absolutely unlimited.
  4. Make the back panel at an angle to the inside of the structure by approximately 15 degrees.
  5. For easy attachment of the lid to the top of the feeder, take the loops so that you can always open it and empty the feed.
  6. Medium length bars need to be screwed to the lid for the aft compartment.
  7. The longest wooden blocks are twisted according to the same principle as mentioned above. This will be the bird pedal.
  8. We connect the long and middle bars with the smallest one and attach the entire structure to the main bunker with bolts. The driving mechanism bolts should not be tightened forever. These bars must move.
  9. Check with your own hands that when you press the pedal, the feed tray opens. In which case, adjust all fasteners.

Such a pressing mechanism will protect the food from foreign birds that are not accustomed to the tray.

Features of a plastic bucket feeder

Oddly enough, but the most useful and amazing inventions are very simple. This is exactly what a plastic bucket feeder can be considered as. You will be surprised how ingeniously everything can be done with your own hands.

Necessary materials

  • a plastic bucket or basin, but preferably with a handle and good capacity;
  • a menage bowl for feeding pets or for plant seedlings;
  • building materials, such as a sharp knife or small file;
  • screws, self-tapping screws or construction adhesive.

Step-by-step instruction

  1. When choosing the size of the lower part of the future structure, do not forget that it should be much larger in diameter than the upper part.
  2. First we take a bucket and on the fold of the walls and bottom, we cut out small round or oval holes with our own hands. Through these holes, feed under its own pressure will flow directly to the hens, so the size of the cutouts must be optimal for the supply of cereals.
  3. We fasten the menage plate to the bottom of the bucket or basin using self-tapping screws or screws. If this good is not there, you can glue all the components to each other.
  4. Pay close attention to where the food will fall out of the holes, that is, each hole corresponds to a recess on the pallet. This should be done to prevent high grain consumption and provide some savings.
  5. Pour the grain into the bucket and close the lid.
  6. It is better to hang the finished auto-feeder low above the ground, for convenient use of the bird and the likelihood of getting inside the vessel is minimal.
  7. Grains need to be poured so much that it is enough for the time when you will not be. You can be sure that the bird will be full.

Housekeeping requires a lot of trouble and time investment. One of the main concerns that takes up the time of farmers is feeding chickens. The products that the market offers, although convenient to use, are not cheap. automatic feeder for chickens with their own hands - salvation for those who count their money. In this article, we will consider what ways to quickly feed chickens are offered by factories and craftsmen.

Feeding chickens is an important part of the poultry industry

All feeders, homemade or factory-made, feed the chickens as the birds eat them. The farmer needs to pour the feed into a special compartment, from where it is fed in portions to the feeding tank. The compartment closes tightly, which ensures the safety of the feed: chickens will not eat it ahead of time, and especially violent ones, for example, will not scatter feed around the chicken coop.

With an automatic feeder, the farmer does not need to monitor the feeding time of the chickens and visit the chicken coop with feed, depending on the diet of the chicken flock. Therefore, if you are planning to have several bird individuals, this issue must be thought out in advance.

Automatic feeders are designed for dry food. Since chickens need a varied diet, consider having other mixing containers in the coop.

What automatic feeders does the market offer?

In stores, you can purchase both the simplest designs, for example, a bunker, and high-tech devices with a timer and a feed scatter function. The price of the former fluctuates around 500-1500 rubles, but for technical progress you will have to pay 5-6 times more. The body material of such feeders can be different: from ABS plastic (the price is about 6.5 thousand rubles) and to powder-coated steel (8.5 thousand rubles).

Also, store feeders can be conditionally divided into ready-made structures with a feed container and a tray, and separate trays with dividers, for which you will need to additionally find some kind of jar or bottle. If we talk about simple products of the second type, then they are very cheap, around 100 rubles, but they have a small volume and are only suitable for feeding chickens. If you keep a flock of adult chickens, such a purchase will not be successful.

Expensive automatic feeders require the installation of barrels or bottles with a capacity of around 20 liters. The device is mounted at the bottom of the barrel, it does not need to be connected to the network - it works on several D-type batteries or is powered by a battery. The whole structure must be fixed at some distance from the ground in order to ensure free scattering of grain.

The advantage of such an automatic feeder is the presence of a timer and the ability to pre-program the amount of feed to be scattered. This allows you not to worry about whether the birds are eating well enough. But the chickens will not eat more than they should.

However, it is advisable to purchase such devices only if there is a large farmstead. If there are few chickens, then it is better to pay attention to simpler and cheaper products.

The principle of operation of the bunker (vacuum) automatic feeder

Perhaps this is the most popular option to feed a flock of hungry birds. Almost all the products described in the article involve the use of this particular principle.

The bunker feeder, as mentioned above, consists of a closed container, which is completely filled with food, and a tray into which food is supplied through a small hole. You can not be afraid that the chicken will climb inside the feeder - the hole is too narrow, and the food itself will interfere.

Before you start making a feeder in one of the following ways, consider how best to secure the container with the daily ration so that the hens do not knock it over and scatter the grain around the coop. At the same time, you must definitely have the opportunity to remove it, since the feeder must be regularly cleaned from the remnants of the old feed.

The bunker feeder is very easy to make yourself from improvised means. Let's consider several ways.

Before you begin any of the following instructions, please read them carefully to the end so that the feeder you have made will fully meet the needs of your birds and chicken coop.

Plastic hopper feeders

Making a vacuum feeder from a plastic bucket

This type of container is not suitable for outdoor placement. Moisture will get into the feed, which will negatively affect its qualities. But if you plan to feed the birds in a chicken coop, then this option may be very useful for you.

In order to make a vacuum feeder, you will need:

  • a plastic bucket with a tight lid of the required volume (5-10 liters);
  • tray - you can buy it in a store with dividers, or you can use some kind of basin, tray or other flat container. The diameter of the tray should be 20-30 centimeters greater than the diameter of the bottom of the bucket;
  • plastic cutter or any other handy tool;
  • screws and nuts.
StepPhotoDescription
1 Take a bucket and make several semicircular holes at the bottom with a radius of about 4-5 centimeters. Choose the size and number of holes based on the required amount of feed intake. If you are using a tray with separators, the number of separators will match the number of separators.
2 Use the screws to connect the bucket to the container for the tray.
3 Fill the bucket with food and close the lid.

So that the birds do not get hurt, it is desirable to process the edges of the holes, or to prevent burrs when cutting.

So that the food does not remain at the bottom and is available to the birds, something cone-shaped can be fixed inside the bucket - for example, the top of a plastic bottle. The feed will flow down the sloping walls to the edges of the tray, which will make it easier for the chickens to access it.

In a similar way, you can make a vacuum feeder from plastic bottles, metal buckets and other containers. A plastic bottle can be attached to the tray with wire, and dividers can also be made from it.

Small hopper feeder for chickens

Chicks need a special approach to feeding. Firstly, at first they are kept separately from adults, and secondly, the growth of chickens may not allow them to reach the feed. Therefore, separate containers are made to feed the chickens.

Tools and materials

  1. Two plastic bottles with a volume of 1.5-3 liters or another, depending on the amount of feed being poured. Choose bottles so that the top and neck of one bottle fit freely in the middle of another.
  2. Feed tray. To do this, you can use lids, plastic bowls and other flat dishes with not very high walls, otherwise the chickens will not reach the feed.
  3. A utility knife or other tool for cutting plastic.
StepDescription
1 Take the smaller bottle and cut off the top cone. Bottom part We won't need any more bottles.
2 Take a large bottle and cut off the top cone and bottom.
3 In the bottom of the large bottle, make small holes with a diameter of about two centimeters.
4 Attach the middle part of the large perforated bottle to the feed tray.
5 Close the top cone of the small bottle and place it inside the resulting feeder. This is necessary so that the food does not get stuck at the bottom of the bottle.

Instead of a larger bottle, you can use a small plastic bucket, such as mayonnaise, or a container for storing CDs. The procedure for such a feeder is almost the same as described above.

Automatic feeder from plastic bottles

If you often buy water in 5 liter plastic bottles, you can use them to improve your chicken feeding process. However, this design has the same drawback as plastic bucket products - they are not weatherproof.

For the feeder you will need:

  • two plastic bottles;
  • a stationery knife or other handy tool for cutting plastic;
  • a flat bowl or basin slightly larger in diameter than the bottom of the bottles for the lid.
StepDescription
1 Take the first bottle and cut it in half. We will need half with a bottom, the upper part with a cone will not come in handy. When cutting, be guided by the photo.
2 Cut holes on all sides so that the chicken head can freely crawl through them. Remember to finish the edges of the holes so that the chickens do not get hurt.
3 Take the second bottle and cut off the bottom from it.
4 Place the second bottle upside down in the first. Connect both parts of the feeder in a convenient way.
5 After filling the feed, close the bottom of the top bottle tightly with a wide bowl or basin. Pay attention to how easy it is to remove the cap from the bottle so that the chickens do not get to the feed.

The neck of the top bottle should be a few millimeters below the bottom edge of the holes. If this condition is not met, the food will spill out.

Video - Bunker feeder for chickens in 10 minutes

In a similar way, you can make a bottle feeder for chickens. An example of such a product is in the video below.

Automatic feeders made of wood or plywood

Designs from plastic bottles, no doubt, spoil appearance chicken coop. Although this factor does not of great importance in poultry farming, since the main thing is the satiety of chickens, you can pay attention to plywood products. Another obvious advantage of such feeders is that you can design their capacity yourself, which is not so easy to do with the products described above.

On the other hand, working with wood panels and plywood requires a lot of labor and not everyone can do it. But if you have necessary skills in carpentry, then the following two options may be useful to you.

Autofeeder Option One: Without Pedal

Tools and materials for creating a feeder

  1. Thick plywood or wooden boards.
  2. Drill and drills.
  3. Screwdriver and screws.
  4. Loops.
  5. Sandpaper.
  6. Saw.
  7. Pencil or marker.
  8. Paper for creating a drawing.
  9. Roulette or rulers.
StepDescription
1 Before we start work, we need to make patterns, according to which we will cut out the details for the feeder. Take paper and draw the following details:
For the side walls - two figures 40 cm high, with an upper edge of 26 cm and a lower edge of 29 cm. Do not forget to cut two triangles on the walls (see drawing);
For the front part - two rectangles 28x29 cm and 7x29 cm;
For the lid - a rectangle 26x29 cm;
For the bottom - a rectangle measuring 29x17 mm;
For the back wall - 41x29 cm.
2 Transfer the drawings to the boards and carefully cut out the details.
3 Now you need to make holes for the screws in the attachment points with an electric drill.
4 To make the surface of the feeder safe for birds, sand all the details.
5 Based on the above drawing, assemble the structure. Do not forget that the front top and back walls should be located at an angle of 15˚ relative to the horizontal.
6 Hinge the top cover onto the back of the side walls.
7 Treat the resulting box with an antiseptic. It is undesirable to use varnishes and paints, this can adversely affect the feed and health of chickens.

Auto feeder option two: with pedal

The principle of operation of the feeder can be seen in the video below. The chicken steps on the pedal, the lid of the tray opens and access to the feed appears. This design is convenient because, unlike the previous version, it is completely sealed, and if the tree is treated with a waterproof solution that is safe for chickens, it can be installed in the yard.

An automatic feeder with a pedal is an interesting and unusual option.

The principle of operation of such a feeder can be seen in the video below.

In order to design your own pedal chicken feed container, you will need:

  • wooden boards or sheets of dense plywood;
  • thin wooden bars;
  • furniture bolts or other products for fastening elements;
  • loops;
  • electric drill and drills;
  • sandpaper;
  • saw;
  • pencil or marker;
  • paper for creating patterns;
  • roulette.

Step 1. Draw patterns for ten details of the future feeder: a lid for the tray, two side panels, a detail for the bottom, a back wall (note that it is tilted in the finished box), two rectangles for the front wall (or three, depending on which box you like more), top cover, pedal. When determining the dimensions, be guided by your needs and the drawing from the previous version of the feeder.

Step 2 wooden bars cut into six pieces. The two bars to which the pedal will subsequently be attached should be the longest (the length of the bar is calculated based on the width of the pedal and the width of the box). Two more pieces of timber - medium length (needed for a lid over the tray). The third pair of short bars serves to interconnect the lifting mechanism.

Step 3 Using a saw, cut out pieces of plywood according to the patterns. Treat them with sandpaper to neutralize the product for chickens.

Step 4 Connect all the walls of the feeder together with screws. Please note that the back panel should be at an angle of approximately 15˚. This is necessary so that the feed does not stagnate in the far corner of the box. To provide greater density, use the clamp.

Step 5 Attach the top cover. To do this, use 2 loops. Subsequently, you will discard this lid to fill the feeder.

Step 6 Next in line is the most ingenious part of the product - the assembly of the pedal and bars. To understand how to act, be guided by the photo above. Attach medium length bars on the sides to the lid of the food tray. At the opposite end of the bars, you need to make 2 holes. The diameter of one of them should be slightly larger than the diameter of the bolt, and the hole itself should be located closer to the end of the bar. This hole should correspond to the same in the side wall of the box. Then we screw the bolt so that it allows the bar to move in the plane of the wall.

Step 7 In the same way, we attach the longest bar to the pedal of the automatic feeder. The hole for connecting the bar to the wall must be made approximately 1/5 of the length of the bar. Don't forget the hole at the very end of the bar.

Step 8 We still have two free holes on each side (one on the top and bottom bar). It is necessary to fasten the shortest pieces of bars to them. Unlike the previous steps, this connection must be rigid and strong or the pedal will not work. Make sure that when you press it, the lid of the feed tray rises. If this does not happen, adjust the tension of the bolts.

Step 9 Treat the box with an antiseptic. As in the previous case, it is undesirable to use varnishes and paints in order to avoid harm to chickens.

Feeding through pipes

A number of poultry farmers claim that PVC pipe feeders are the most convenient to use. Firstly, the pipes must be fixed on the walls of the chicken coop, so you can not be afraid that the birds will knock over the container and all their food will be on the floor. Secondly, among the home-made automatic feeders, the pipe design has the largest volume - it includes about 10 kilograms of feed.

Of the minuses of such structures, it is worth noting that the pipe cannot just be taken and washed with running water under a tap, so if you settled on this option, you will have to invent your own cleaning methods.

Automatic PVC pipe feeder with tee

You will need the following materials:

  • three pieces of PVC pipes with a diameter of 110 mm and a length of 70 cm, 20 cm and 10 cm;
  • two plugs of the corresponding diameter;
  • a tee of the appropriate diameter, the angle of which is 45˚;
  • brackets or other material for attaching the pipe to the wall.

StepDescription
1 Attach a cap to one end of the 20 cm pipe. This will be the bottom of the feeder.
2 Attach a tee to the other end of the pipe so that the side elbow looks up relative to the bottom.
3 Attach a piece of pipe 10 cm long to the side knee. Do not forget to process the edges of the pipe so that the chickens do not get hurt - this is where they will receive food.
4 Connect the remaining 70 cm pipe to the third hole of the tee.
5 Attach the pipe in the chicken coop in any convenient way, for example, on brackets for attaching ventilation pipes. After filling the feed into the pipe, it must be closed with a plug so that precipitation does not get there.

The disadvantage of such a feeder is that the feed will remain at the bottom, and it will have to be raked out manually.

Automatic pipe feeder with knees

This design is perhaps the most practical. It is easy to assemble and install and is relatively inexpensive - all materials for it will cost around 1,500 rubles. If you have recently installed ventilation in the house and you have one and a half meter pieces of pipe left, then this option will be the most budgetary for you.

Necessary materials for the feeder

  1. A piece of pipe with a diameter of 110 mm and a length of 1.5 meters.
  2. Two knees - one at 45˚ and the second at 90˚.
  3. Brackets or other material for attaching the pipe to the wall.
  4. Stub.

Step 1. Assemble the structure in the following sequence: pipe, then 45˚ elbow and 90˚ elbow. Make sure that the edges of the last knee do not have burrs and are not traumatic for birds.

Step 2 Attach the structure to the wall in the way that is most convenient for you.

Step 3 Use a jar to fill the feed inside the pipe and, if necessary, cover with a plug.

Video - Automatic pipe feeder in a private household

Automatic feeder options for advanced poultry farmers

Of course, not everyone succeeds in being satisfied with plastic bottles and pipes. Therefore, in skillful hands everything is used - from meat grinders to self assembly mechanisms.

Video - Automatic feeder for chickens from a meat grinder

Video - Automatic feeder for chickens using a relay

Chicken feeding can be optimized with automatic feeders

Automatic assistant

The automatic feeder for chickens has long been widespread among poultry houses. Industrial copies are quite expensive and inefficient in small farms. Cheap consumer goods are not worth the money they ask for. You shouldn't get upset. In a matter of hours, making an auto-feeder with your own hands is not difficult.

Bird feeders are made taking into account the biological needs of birds, they are easy to disinfect and clean, do not require special maintenance, serve long years without losing its original appearance.

This model has been popular for over 10 years. Invented by an Australian farmer. Domestic amateur poultry farmers have simplified the complex technique a little.

Metal feeder according to the scheme of the Australian farmer

To make a do-it-yourself feeder, we need:

  • thin plywood;
  • wooden bars;
  • furniture screws.

We knock out the box. The tray for feeding opens by pressing a pedal. The rest of the time the feeder is closed. The cover is attached to the bars with bolts. The small size of the feed container and the cunning mechanism will not allow the chicken to scatter food. We want to make a reservation: the bird will have to be taught to use such a device.

Simpler Options

If you have no desire to mess with complex mechanisms, then we present the following models. They are quite simple, but they meet all the requirements of the poultry farmer - rational use feed and space.

Bunker

Ease of manufacture and affordable materials have made this model the most popular among do-it-yourself feeders. Components:

  • large plastic container (bucket, water bottle);
  • round pallet (with divisions into sectors).

A simple bucket feeder

We drill small holes at the bottom on the sides of the container - through them the food is poured out. We fasten the bunker to the pallet. We fill the structure with food. Narrow sides will not allow birds to rake. The cover will protect from debris, moisture and curious individuals. This model is convenient to move around the chicken coop or site.

A more complex version of the do-it-yourself bunker feeder. We need:

  • bulk bottle (18-20 l);
  • pipe cut (under the diameter of the neck);
  • plastic bucket.

At the bottom of the bucket, holes are made for the heads of chickens. The pipe is a stopper on the neck of the bottle. We cut it in the form of a "crown".

Grain is poured into the bottle, a cap is put on. Place the container upside down in the bucket. And thanks to the handle, it will not be difficult to move such a structure around the site.

Bucket and bottle feeder

Pipe

Plastic sewer pipes long been used not only for its intended purpose. Poultry farmers have adopted them in the manufacture of feeders with their own hands.

What do we need:

  • two short pipes of large diameter;
  • tee;
  • plugs.

We cut round holes in the plastic on both sides - the bird's head should pass freely inside. The approximate diameter is seven centimeters. On one side, close the hole with a plug.

If you do not like such innovations, then it is permissible to simply cut the gutter.

Feeder for chickens from a pipe

Connect the feeder to the second pipe with a tee. Through this design, you will add food to the birds and close it with a plug. It is recommended to take him out of the fence. This model will be a great help in in large numbers chickens. You save space. Pets cannot get food with their paws.

With a small farm, build a simple version of the feeder. Materials:

  • long pipe;
  • plug;
  • knee.

The knee is located at the bottom of the structure. The pipe is firmly fixed in the chicken coop.

Feed falls asleep through the top, close the plug. For a few hours you don't worry about food for the birds.

Feeder from a pipe with a knee

Wooden

This is a great option for a small number of birds or chickens. The principle of operation is similar to the bunker view. It represents:

  • triangular feed chamber;
  • food tray.

Food is poured on top and covered with a lid (from wild birds, debris or water). Adding food from the upper container occurs as you eat in the lower tray. Chickens do not scatter food and do not row.

The model is quickly disassembled and washed. The small size will allow you to move to any corner of your site.

A simple plywood feeder

The presented feeders are simple and affordable do-it-yourself options for a domestic poultry farmer. When choosing a model for your farm, always rely on the following points:

  • the number and breed of chickens;
  • the size of the chicken coop;
  • material.

Based on these factors, choose best option under your poultry house. The larger the population, the longer the feeders will be. If you are feeding broilers, it is recommended to pay attention to the bunker types.

They will allow you to not worry about adding feed for several hours. Remember: all presented models are used for bulk types of food.

Designed only for feeding with dry feed, which are characterized by flowability. It is possible to pour grain, granules, compound feed into the container, but in no case can you add various mixers or grated vegetables.

These devices can be various kinds, but they are based on the same principle of operation.

Thanks to the operation of the feeders, chickens are fed automatically, exactly in the volume that was consumed by the birds. Another part of it is contained in an individual compartment of the mechanism.

The advantage of the automatic feeder is not only in the continuous supply of birds with food, but also in its protection from scattering and soaking during the rainy season. Also, these devices save feed well, due to the correct dosing.

Attention is drawn to the automatic feeder, which can be programmed, as well as having a timer. With the help of the timer it is possible to set the feeding time. The feeder has an auger that moves the feed into the tray. Almost all models of devices with a timer have a backup battery and a container for storing feed mix. The frequency of feeding is possible up to eight times, the break between them is also adjustable.

The feed compartment is perfectly protected, due to the tightly closed lid. Due to the fact that the tray is removable, it is very easy to clean. The main disadvantage of this device will be a very high price.

Options for sale

In specialized stores and online stores, it is possible to buy both simple devices, for example, a bunker, and high-tech devices with a timer and a feed spreading function.

The cost of simple ones varies from five hundred to one and a half thousand rubles, while the latter will cost five to six times more.

The material of these devices is different: from ABS plastic (cost about six and a half thousand rubles) and to powder-coated steel (eight and a half thousand rubles).

Where to begin?

You can actually make an automatic feeder with your own hands from a wide variety of materials. Most often they use wood, plywood or plastic.

In order to independently make an auto-feeder, the following materials and tools are needed:

  • plywood sheet;
  • wooden bars;
  • bolts for furniture;
  • loops - 2 pcs.;
  • saw for wood;
  • drill, drill;
  • pencil;
  • roulette.

A To make your own, you need the following materials and tools:

  • a plastic container (volume from five to ten liters), while a bucket, bottle or other type of container can perform the function of a bunker (read about how to make a chicken feeder yourself from a plastic 5 liter bottle);
  • well-sharpened knife;
  • a plane with a side;
  • nails;
  • self-tapping screws;
  • wire.

How to do it yourself?

With dispenser

When all the materials are prepared, then you can start manufacturing. The procedure is as follows:

  1. On a sheet of plywood, it is necessary to draw the details of the structure. There should be seven of them:
    • front part - two rectangles 28 * 29 centimeters and 7 * 29 centimeters;
    • cover - rectangle 26 * 29 centimeters;
    • side walls- two pieces height 40 centimeters, top edge 26 centimeters and bottom edge 29 centimeters;
    • bottom - rectangle 29 * 17 centimeters;
    • back wall - 41 * 29 centimeters.
  2. Carefully cut out the details.
  3. Next, make holes for the screws in the attachment points with an electric drill.
  4. In order to make the surface of the feeder safe for chickens, process all the details with sandpaper.
  5. Assemble the structure. It must be remembered that the front upper and rear walls should be located relative to the horizontal at an angle of 15 degrees.
  6. Hinge the top cover to the back of the side walls.

We watch a video on how to make a do-it-yourself plywood automatic feeder for chickens:

Bunker model

  1. At the beginning, you need to choose a container into which the feed mixture will be added, as well as the bottom.
  2. As a tray, it is possible to use a lid that has edges or any container for growing seedlings.

    It is necessary that the bottom diameter be larger by 20-30 centimeters, in contrast to the feed bunker.

  3. Next, you need to cut a semicircular hole, with a radius of about 4-5 centimeters, for each compartment, using a knife.
  4. Then, using self-tapping screws, connect both parts of the parts.
  5. In order for the feeder to have correct location on required level and to ensure maximum convenience for the birds, nails and long wire should be used. When total absence the need for this and the bird feeder turned out to be quite strong and stable, it is enough to put it in the chicken coop on the floor.

Photo





How to use?

All these devices, made independently or purchased in stores, are designed to supply food to birds when they completely eat it.

The poultry breeder is obliged all the time to add food for his winged pets to a place specially designated for this, that is, to the compartment in which food is added in portions. This place must be tightly closed - this will save all the food from quickly eating it by all birds, especially violent ones, for example, Andalusian breeds of chickens, and will prevent the food from being scattered all over the chicken coop.

So that the bird rushes and does not get fat, then you should not overfeed it too often. In order for the bird not to get sick and always be in excellent condition, it is necessary to observe its proper diet. To date There is a wide variety of pet foods available..

The meat will be juicy and soft, and the eggs will be healthy and rich in trace elements, if the bird receives the right and healthy diet. It is very important to comply proper nutrition in birds. Although you need to feed the bird all the time, there are still situations when you need to limit the dose of food in chickens. Most often, the need for such a procedure arises when eggs are formed in chickens.

Young chickens should not be allowed to lay eggs, as these birds can have serious health problems. If chickens have problems with bones or their structure, then this indicates that its nutrition is of poor quality or monotonous.

Conclusion

Automatic has been very popular and loved among all poultry farmers for a long time. It is better not to use overly expensive production models in small economic enterprises, since they can be quite ineffective.

You should not be upset prematurely. You can always make an automatic feeder for your birds on your own, at home, and this is done quite simply. In creating it yourself, there are two pluses: you can make it to your taste, color and spend a minimum of money on it.

Feeding poultry in terms of labor costs and cash costs, it ranks first in the process of its breeding. In this regard, the selection of ready-made feeders must be approached with knowledge of the matter.

You can save money by doing it yourself. In addition to the material incentive, you will get moral and aesthetic pleasure, seeing how the hens eat from feeders made with their own hands.

There are certain requirements for their manufacture:

  • Strength: they must be made of a material that holds a certain shape, little or no deformation;
  • Convenience in operation: it is convenient to clean, you can easily pour food into it, and it is convenient for the bird to eat from it;
  • The number of units must ensure the fulfillment of its task - feed all the livestock(if you put one small feeder for 50-100 heads, you can only imagine what will happen in the chicken coop);
  • A feeder made of a specific material must be used for a certain type of food;
  • She must be sustainable(do not tip over or fall sideways from direct contact with the bird);
  • Rational use(manufactured in such a way as to make it impossible for droppings to get into it and to minimize the ingress of debris).
  • Manufactured not harmful to feed materials.

For information: this list of requirements is not complete and depends on the specific circumstances and tasks of the poultry farmer.

Types of homemade chicken feeders

One of the feeders

All feeders are classified according to the following criteria:

Depending on the method of feeding:

  • bunker;
  • grooved.

Depending on the material from which they are made:

  • wooden;
  • solid metal;
  • plastic;
  • from metal mesh or rods:
  • combined.

From a plastic bottle

This model of the feeder is considered the easiest to manufacture. It is easier to just put a bowl of food in the chicken coop.

For its manufacture, you will need directly two plastic bottles of 1.5; 2 and 5 liters, any flat solid material, such as plywood.

The manufacturing technique is as follows:


feeder from plastic bottle

At 1.5 liter bottles, the bottom is cut off (food is poured through it) and closer to the neck around the perimeter we make holes so that grain pours through it.

From 2-liter bottles, the bottom is also cut off, but the sides are left at a height of 10 cm (they cover the bottles in which the food is located, against rain, other moisture and ingress foreign bodies). 5-liter bottles are cut in such a way that there is a distance of no more than 15 cm from the cut line to the bottom.

In the center of the cut containers, a hole is made along the neck diameter of 1.5 liters. bottles. We also make holes in a 50x30 plywood sheet with a diameter of 1.5 liters. bottles. It remains for us to lower the 1.5 liter bottle into a container of a larger diameter so that the neck passes through 2 holes and exits from the bottom of the piece of plywood.

From a 5 liter plastic bottle

Make a feeder different ways. The simplest is to cut holes of a small diameter along the perimeter of the bottom, sufficient for pouring out grain, a different type of dry food, grain can be poured into the bottle itself through a watering can inserted into the neck. Below we substitute any vessel.


From a 5 liter bottle

In the process of eating, the grain will pour through the holes into a placed vessel. It can be made in another way: in the same container, we cut out small squares around the perimeter of such a size that the chicken can freely stick its head inside and peck the grain. With this option, you don’t even need a vessel as a pallet.

But if you need to tighten the structure, make it more massive, we screw a piece of plywood to the bottom of the bottle. This prevents the bottle from tipping over if the feed supply is low.

How to make a bird feeder

The above methods of making feeders from plastic containers- This is also a kind of bunker feeders, but without a mechanism for adjusting the feed supply.

An improved version of the bunker feeder is done in this way:

Plywood is cut into several pieces:

  • front of the bunker 40x50 cm;
  • rear end - 40x40 cm;
  • 2 side walls cone-shaped to connect the front and rear walls;
  • upward opening lid a little over size the top of the bunker.

Bunker design option

A gap is left at the bottom of the bunker for spilling feed into the tray for birds to eat it. As the feed is eaten by the hens, the feed level in the silo drops. It's easy to fill it up.

To do this, open the lid and pour required amount. It will be improved by making a mechanism for adjusting the grain feed at the bottom. The principle of its operation is to reduce the size of the slot (slit) or increase it, depending on the structure of the feed. This type of feeder is attached both indoors and outdoors.

If it is located outside, then the slot (slot) of the bottom side of the hopper should feed the grain through the wall into the chute, which is located inside the room.

Automatic feeder and drinker from a sewer pipe

It can be made from a plastic PVC sewer pipe. It is better if you take the average diameter - 15 centimeters. In addition, for the arrangement you will need two plugs and a tee. Choose the length you need. Two pieces are cut from the pipe, 20 and 10 centimeters long.

Then the longest and 20-centimeter sections of the pipe are connected to each other by a tee, and a plug is installed at the ends. A 10-centimeter piece of pipe is connected to the branch of the tee - this will be the feed tray.

fall asleep in this design food (or water in the case of a drinker) and fix it on the wall of the chicken coop with the long side to the top.


From a sewer pipe

Some offer the following version of a home-made construction from improvised materials: Holes are drilled in the lower part of the pipe on both sides, expanding them to a diameter of 70 millimeters so that the birds have free access to food. A plug is put on one side of the pipe, and the second segment is connected with a knee at a right angle. Feed is poured into it and a second plug is placed. You can also make an automatic drinker.

In our opinion, such a feeder has a very big drawback: the feed will not be able to move along the pipe as it is eaten by the bird, but will be collected near the first hole, since there is no slope. The ideal angle of inclination in this case is difficult to make, since the coefficient of friction for each feed is different.

Wooden variant

One option for making a wooden feeder was painted above (bunker feeder). You can make another variety. To do this, you need boards or slats made of wood.

We take an arbitrary length. Let it be 1.5 meters. For the side walls, we prepare 2 blanks 150cm x 10cm in size, and 2 blanks 20cm x 15 cm in size. We hammer all this together as shown in the figure. To give strength to the structure and prevent the bird from getting into the feeder, a wide rail is nailed on top.


from wood

Instead of a rail, you can take any handle from the inventory, for example, a shovel. Attach on both sides in such a way that it easily rotates around its axis. This is necessary so that it is difficult for the chickens to sit on the feeder and keep their balance.

Please note: it is advisable to use a wooden feeder indoors to avoid getting wet and damaging the material. It is not suitable for wet feed, as it makes it difficult for the poultry farmer to clean it.

From metal mesh or rods

This version of the feeder is useful for greenery, because otherwise the chickens will take the grass all over the house. The feeder stays in the same place. To construct it, you just need to bend a welded metal mesh of small diameter into a ring and attach the ends to each other.

This feeder has no bottom. But for strength, it is nailed to a wooden, plywood or any other plane. corresponding to the diameter of the ring. Cover with something on top. This design makes it easy to throw away all the withered contents and put fresh green mass. Naturally, it is not suitable for bulk feed, because it has a large cellular structure.

Do-it-yourself homemade chicken feeders

Chickens in the first days of life need to eat especially well. If their number is small, the problem with feed containers is quite simple to solve. To do this, install one feeder. But if their livestock is more than a hundred, then very soon they will grow up and in order to ensure normal access to feed, it is necessary to install several feeders or one large one.

If they are not used at all, but simply sprinkled on the floor or in some fenced-off corner, then a lot of food is trampled and spoiled, economic effect from raising poultry falls.

Bunker option from improvised materials

The simplest chicken feeder can be made from an ordinary plastic bottle. The essence of the design is to cut several windows in one row in it so that the chicken can stick its head in and peck at the food. On the side of the cut out windows at an angle of 90 degrees, we cut out one or two smaller holes to fit the size of the bottle neck.

The cut bottle, as shown in the figure, is inserted into the hole. It turned out a kind of watering can through which food is poured.


Chicken feeder

You can offer a different version of the bunker feeder for chickens.

To do this, from any light solid material (for example, the thinnest extruded foam), we cut out a circle in which we make holes along the contour so that the chickens can peck the food.

In the middle we cut a hole according to the diameter of the bottle or jar in which we fall asleep. We substitute any vessel under the bottom (you can use a plastic bowl). From the inverted jar, the grain is poured into the bowl as it is eaten. The diameter of the circle should be slightly larger than the diameter of the bowl.

If we take a glass jar as a bunker, then this design option has one significant drawback - in order to fill it, you need to turn the jar over and fill it with compound feed. Then put a foam circle on it, a bowl, and only then turn it all over and put it on the floor.

This design is only suitable for rearing chickens., because the grown young or adult bird will overturn the jar, and it may break.

Automatic chick feed

As a matter of fact, the automatic feeder is made in such a way that from the filled bunker (it doesn’t matter what it will be and what it is made of: from a plastic bottle, glass, wood, etc.) as the bird eats grain, it spills into a container under the bunker (bowl , cell other).

Almost all of the above types of feeders are built on a bunker basis. This is the auto feeder. That is, having poured grain into the bunker once, for example, in the morning, the owner does not worry that he needs to feed the bird after 3, 6 or 24 hours. When it is empty, the hopper is filled with feed again.


Automatic feed supply

All you need for its equipment is a bowl or disposable plastic utensils., depending on the size of the hopper itself (it can be a 20-liter bucket, or maybe an ice cream bucket).

We cut small holes in the bottom along the perimeter so that the food can be poured into the bowl when it is eaten. From above, this design is covered with a lid.

The bowl must be picked up in such a way that its diameter is larger than the diameter of the bottom of the bucket, but not much, otherwise the bird will climb into the bowl and trample its contents.

It can be made more mobile by attaching a handle to the structure.

As you can see, there are a lot of techniques for making feeders. We stop our choice based on the specific situation: the number of birds, its age, conditions of detention, the presence of certain materials in household, for what purposes it is grown (for example, if these are broilers, then the bunker feeder (it is also an automatic feeder) is simply irreplaceable, since broilers need to constantly eat, and from time to time during the day it is quite troublesome to add food to the bird).

In addition, the material of the feeder itself also depends on the composition of the feed. For example, for a wet mix better fit metal or plastic feeder open type. It's easier to wash. For bulk feed, the ideal option is bunker feeders. They keep the food inside it dry and clean.