DIY Thread - Let's see your "Inventions".

[Leahs Mom]

Man, the thread has been quiet!!
No pics, but I finally just gave the chickens a hanging head of cabbage. I have none of the screw in corn holders, So I drove a heavy duty chopstick through it, with a bit of end sticking out of the bottom. Then I took cooking twine and tied it to the bottom, ran up to the top, wrapped the top of the chopstick, then back down and around, to make it surround the cabbage head on 3 sides, then just tied it off and hung it from a screw out in the pen. Hopefully the string holds up to the accidental pecks. I will keep an eye on them. All 15 birds eyed it like it was gonna eat them, until I pulled a few leaves loose. Of course Red my Speckeled Sussex was the first to try it out. She is the most curious one.
Might get pics later, but it isn't much of an invention, compared to used the corn screw.

Someone told me that they use a wire coat hanger to hang theirs...unbent and then skewering the corn or cabbage and bending the hanger in such a way that you can hand it up.

 

[rojororeo]

Someone told me that they use a wire coat hanger to hang theirs...unbent and then skewering the corn or cabbage and bending the hanger in such a way that you can hand it up.

That is a good idea too! They did great with my makeshift hanger today..., wonder if a whole cabbage divided among 15 chickens is too much in one day/sitting?! They devoured it!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Well...you might see some interesting "poos" in the next day or so

 

[bellehumeur]

Winterized water dispensers
We have two water dispensers; one in the coop and one in the run.
They are constructed from plastic toilet tanks. Plastic toilet tanks have several advantages:
· 1. They have a built-in fill valve that can be connected directly to main water pressure (see connector on the left). There is no need to refill them during the warm seasons.
· 2. They are insulated for temperature stability.
· 3. They have a flush mechanism so that the water can be changed on demand.
· 4. They are built to be hung a on a wall and include the necessary mounting hardware.
· 5. They are structurally made to hold water. I have tried hanging coolers and they tend to slowly fall apart.
· 6. They cost about 20 Euros on ebay.
Inside each tank are installed a temperature sensor and an aquarium water heater controlled by a raspberry pi computer
On top of each tank, an ultrasound distance sensor is installed to monitor water level.
At the bottom of each tank are two nipples for the hens to drink and a garden hose connector for flushing.





Not in these pictures are the water heater, temperature sensor and level sensor.
Note the little filters that are expoxied inside the tank on top of the nipple inlets.

For the tank inside the coop, I have two small terra cotta flower pots to catch water that can slowly leak and are dropped by the hens. I run a big bolt through the bottom hole of the flower pot and through the coop floor. That leads the water out of the coop and keeps the deep litter dry. I put rocks and oyster shells in the pots.

 

[mlowen]

Winterized water dispensers
We have two water dispensers; one in the coop and one in the run.   
For the tank inside the coop, I have two small terra cotta flower pots to catch water that can slowly leak and are dropped by the hens.  I run a big bolt through the bottom hole of the flower pot and through the coop floor.  That leads the water out of the coop and keeps the deep litter dry.  I put rocks and  oyster shells in the pots.

This is VERY interesting! Where do you live? How low do your temperatures get in the winter?

 

[bellehumeur]

I'm in Bavaria, Germany. Minimal temperature here is -15 Celcius. But i have the water temperature regulated to whatever I want. Currently I have it set to 5 celsuis in the coop and 2.5 Celcius in the run.

 

[aart]

That would work great if you have source water inside your heated coop.

 

[bellehumeur]

The coop is not heated. Only the water inside the tanks. In winter, I fill each tank once every 3-4 weeks for my 4 hens.

 

[aart]

The coop is not heated. Only the water inside the tanks. In winter, I fill each tank once every 3-4 weeks for my 4 hens.

Oh so you're not using the autofill in winter?

 

[bellehumeur]

No, I drain the garden pipes in November so there is no water to the coop in winter.