Baby Chics and water with water and food

[aquafarmerri]

Okay everyone I have 26 16 day old chics...when I ordered them my work was supposed to be done for the season and that is just not the case. So last week I was away and had to leave it up to my family to water and feed them each day. Honestly they just don't have the time and I have to leave again Monday home Thursday evening. Wow I can't believe how much they eat and drink each day more then the previous so I have come up with an idea to keep the water level and feed level up while I'm away.

II have your basic commercial round poultry feeder and the same type round water feeder water holds a gallon and the feeder hold 2 pounds of food.

So my idea is to put a 5 gallon Poland springs bottle on to op the brooder with a connector and a hose to the top of the water as it is gravity that keeps the water in below I would think the same principle would apply...any thought? My theory would be as they drink below the water above will constantly refill.

Same type principle with the food I'm going to run a 2" pvc pipe into the top of the feeder with a larger bucket attached at the top as the eat the food will fall into the feeder...

Think it will work? I'm going to do it this weekend...

 

[cavemanrich]

Would it also sound easy to get another of each and have double the capacity??? 4 lbs,feed and 2 gallons of water should last 4 days. Do you have the room inside brooder for that???
WISHING YOU BEST,,,and

 

[aquafarmerri]

Not enough room for that it's only a 4x4 box

 

[lazy gardener]

How often will your family be looking in on them? It might work, until the time that something happens to mess it up, like enough shavings being kicked into the waterer so that they wick all of the water out of the waterer and into the bedding. Or until the feeder gets plugged up. Also, the 4 x 4 is not big enough for that many chicks. And at this age, it's important to be working on weaning them off heat.

 

[aquafarmerri]

How often will your family be looking in on them?  It might work, until the time that something happens to mess it up, like enough shavings being kicked into the waterer so that they wick all of the water out of the waterer and into the bedding.  Or until the feeder gets plugged up.  Also, the 4 x 4 is not big enough for that many chicks.  And at this age, it's important to be working on weaning them off heat.  

They seem to be very happy, they brooder is opened every day at sun up and closed at sun down. The food and water is raised on a feed grate and there is hardware cloth on the bottom of the brooder.