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

[RonP]

I use a large capacity PVC feeder.

I will at times wait till it's completely empty, everything gets eaten, including any pulverized pellets (powder). No waste.

 

[RonP]

Materials required:


All 4" plastic black drain pipe and components, available at most big box stores, surprisingly inexpensive.


These are utility hangers, I used one outside the coop, one inside the storage area, as they came as a pair.





I already had and use an electric leaf blower to blow the dust out of the coop, but all to often, I was just blowing the dust around the coop and not really out. Dust everywhere. I was using masks, goggles and protective clothing...

This method creates a positive pressure inside the coop, essentially replacing the normally stagnate air about once every 2 minutes, with fresh, outside the coop, dust free air.

How it works:
Simple...

Turn on the stationary blower, use a second blower to move the dust into the "jet stream" where it gets swept away and finds its own exit. My coop is well ventilated.
That's it...

My build:







Observations:

1. Make sure you do not exceed the amp ratings of your electrical wiring. Leaf blowers use powerful motors, same with vacuum cleaners. I purposefully purchased my second blower, as I did not need a power sucking unit. New, my second blower was under $30 and uses ~7 amps. Rated for 150cfm. My wiring can handle ~15 amps, all GFCI.

2. Start outside the people door and work your way in. Dust just disappeared for me, Didn't seem to need any dust protection at all. Regardless I would always wear a mask. I had to blow into the litter to actually see how well it worked...I do not recommend you do that while in the coop...you will not believe how much dust is in 8 inches of pine shavings litter after 9 months...

3. Super powerful blowers are not necessary nor recommended. You are blowing dust, not wet pine needles after all.

4. Under 10 minutes to setup, use, and dismantle, the entire system.

5. Total cost of materials, including 1 new blower, was under $50.


Constructive criticism always welcomed!

Quote:

Wants interior and exterior video action of process

Took this video, shows just how quickly dust exits coop.

Coop air is clean in literally seconds.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@RonP

Am I understanding this correctly....you use the 2nd blower to stir up the litter on the floor so that the dust goes into the air?

If I'm understanding that correctly, could you just use a rake to stir things up and accomplish the same thing (getting the dust into the air so it goes up to the vacuum...).

 

[RonP]

@RonP

Am I understanding this correctly....you use the 2nd blower to stir up the litter on the floor so that the dust goes into the air?

If I'm understanding that correctly, could you just use a rake to stir things up and accomplish the same thing (getting the dust into the air so it goes up to the vacuum...).

Well, not exactly...

The second blower is used to stir up the dust for cleaning, everywhere, effortlessly (shelves, nest boxes, rafters).

I hit the litter with the blower only because the dust everywhere else disappeared so quickly, I had no photos...

This method is fantastic for when removing spent shavings also, when dust really flies.

I did my best to create dust while shoveling into a pail, shavings that had 9 months of manure accumulated, for the video.


Also, the blower is not vacuuming the dust in, it is pushing air (dusty air) out, through existing ventilation areas by creating a positive pressure inside the coop.

Hope this helps.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Yep....as soon as I hit submit, I realized that it was for the dust all over the place that had already settled on surfaces.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Yep....as soon as I hit submit, I realized that it was for the dust all over the place that had already settled on surfaces.

This summer was especially hot and dry, so I took a hose to the coop several times. Knocked down all the cobwebs & dust, moistened the deep litter to cool the coop off through evaporation, blasted the pooticules off the roosts. The birds LOVED it. Though we have metal greenhouse frames wrapped in hardware cloth, shade cloth, and greenhouse plastic, located under big shady trees, as our coops and we keep the sides rolled up most of the time, so we get practically as much dust blowing in as out ...

 

[RJSorensen]

I enjoy this thread and see it has fallen into 'disrepair' of sorts, so I am bringing it back. I am sure that all of the inventions have not been made and there are improvements to be had on the existing ones. This thread is a treasure of ideas and we need to keep at it.

Best to all and your birds,

RJ

 

[Blooie]

I'm working on one! Got to find a way to keep the horizontal nipples from freezing on the bucket this year.

 

[aart]

I'm working on one! Got to find a way to keep the horizontal nipples from freezing on the bucket this year.

Aquarium heater?...and some insulation.
Didn't you use a birdbath or trough heater last year?

 

[Blooie]

Yep, we used a tank heater and it worked perfectly. The water in the bucket didn't freeze - the nipples did. But I saw a post on here where someone had put their water bucket on top of a large heated waterer base and no more problem with freezing horizontal nipples, so we decided to give that and moving the nipples up a little higher on the bucket a try this year. Unfortunately we couldn't find a bucket with a deep lip on the bottom like the one he/she used. But we did find this bucket grip thing, and with just a little modification it gave us the lip we needed. The bucket has to sit down in the part of the heated waterer base that would have held the water for drinking. I'm not explaining it very well, but as we get going on it I'll post photos.