Ideas on getting a feeder and water system

[bluefrog87]

I hear a common theme to bad feeders and water systems. "I got it at Tractor Supply Company." They are not a bad store but I see a theme. So I am trying to avoid that. I am either looking for simple build items that don't take up much space and/or decent internet item. I have some experience with chickens but these are my first personal ones. I am using then for my degree in animal science and the eggs. If this all doesn't work out, I'm just going to have stew.

So I seek the help of the internet. My flock will be buff orpington trio in a 4x4 ark tractor coop

Water:

I am thinking of a double nipple system for the summer which is 10 months out of the year. and then going to the heated bucket water system which just naturally has the suck of changing dirty water.

I like the nipple systems because it seems to drastically reduce disease and increase the taste. Plus no messy water. But winterizing it sucks and for just for short periods.... so much insulation and stuff... everywhere (the chicken's turn into the birds from Hitchcock with it in my mind)... It really isn't worth it to me.

Food:

I want a wall mounted treadle for 3 reasons. It doesn't take up space. I don't feed the neighborhood squirrels (they are fat without my help thanks to the neighbor's pecan tree), and it has a decent cover to keep poop out of food. Also, it must not chop chicken's head off (They are TALENTED when it comes to Murphy's law). I am either looking for easy plans or decent price. The biggest feature I am looking for is food saving and easy clean

I am also looking for a reasonable organic feed around $1/per pound

Items needed:
Heated watering system (It's too cold for a nipple system w/o winterizing here, it can get to the teens)
Feeder
Feed recommendations 50 lb for roughly $50

Items for review:

I'm thinking about building this setup unless the materials are the same cost http://shop.chickenfountain.com/The-Mini-Fountain-001.htm


Thanks in advance for the help

 

[TOP KNOT]

This cost me $13. (1) 6 gal bucket (3) L brackets, washers, bolts and screws. (1) gamma seal spin on lid. (1) 3 gal metal pan. cut out 3 sections of bottom of bucket, top on lid screw on pan. about a 1 1/2'' gap on bottom of bucket to pan. I do not waste ANY feed with these. I have made several. Oh and I hung it from a rafter with an eye screw and an old horse lead rope. I have heated dishes in the main coop. I have a cinder block with a 60 watt light bulb in it with the water sitting on top. It has not froze yet and its been really cold.I set the whole thing on a flat stepping stone to keep the litter out. I like this, its cheap,practically free, I use it for my rooster house.

 

[bluefrog87]

I thought of the bucket method but the only problem I have is a large squirrel population. They steal everything and they are smart. They destroy my neighbors bird feeder which is on a pole in the middle of the yard with no trees. I like the bucket tho.

 

[jetdog]

If you have a 5 gallon bucket you can make one of these for less than $10 bucks,2 90 degree elbows cut so they are about 3/4 of an inch off the bottom of the bucket, they have to stick their heads inside the hole to get the food, they can't fling the food out and waste it, with the food not being exposed the squirrelmmight not be able to see it, this holds about a months worth of food for my girls, my girls are normal size chickens so I went with the 3 inch elbows it's out in the run and never gets wet or pooped in.

 

[jimmywalt]

I second JetDog. He told me of this feeder months ago and I can make one for about $3 bucks.

For a waterer (great for extreme winter freeze) I have that as well.

Check the links in my signature line below for details on both!

I tried EVERYTHING else for sale first and NON of the stuff worked. Then I found these ideas at BYC and never looked back.

The feeder has 1000% NO WASTED food! Not one darn pellet is wasted!

Check my links for extremely detailed instructions/information!.

Good luck!

 

[pdirt]

If you can place your feeder somewhere squirrel proof, it won't matter what kind of feeder you have. We have a treadle feeder, but the problem is feed gets jammed into the hinges, which makes it keep from shutting tight. You just have to clean the feeder regularly, which means dumping it out and cleaning all moving parts with a toothbrush. I wouldn't do a treadle feeder again unless it was a better design.

 

[bluefrog87]

I got my feeder and water system.

My feeder is a metal treadle system I got from a nearby carpenter (the chicken of certain weight steps on it and then open sesame but squirrel does not meet weight limit or height limit to work it). I went with this system because I have a whole lot of hungry squirrels and I don't want to invite rats and wild birds. Best part, I can't get rid of them. There's a pecan tree in my neighbor's yard. It's the state tree and he's fond of it. The hinges are mostly on the outside and cover-able.

My water system is a 1 in PVC chicken nipple system.

I don't know what I will do for winterizing yet but I have 9 months. Thinking 5-10 gal bucket 3 nipple system with heater with auto safety shut offs I can find (shuts off at 43 degrees/turns on at 32, shuts off if electrical problem and shuts off at no water).

Getting ready for summer is easier than winter for me. I have up to 110 degree summers but the entire backyard is shade. I can get a mister and my water system is automatic. I need to put out ice galore in the worst of it. Other that that I know no corn/no apple cider vinegar. The summers are too intense to even try and get away with that.

My winters are about 10 degrees and All the advantages I have in summer turn into disadvantages or useless but the corn and apple cider vinegar will keep them warm. Thank god for the chicken's weird avian digestive system. I will winterize the coop with green house materials and blankets at night and probably use artificial light.

 

[pdirt]

Sounds good, let us know how the feeder goes. What do you mean about no ACV in summer? I don't understand that part. And how will ACV help keep them warm in winter? Not arguing but trying to learn something new.

 

[bluefrog87]

Sounds good, let us know how the feeder goes. What do you mean about no ACV in summer? I don't understand that part. And how will ACV help keep them warm in winter? Not arguing but trying to learn something new.

Complicated Scientific version-

The acidic nature of acv makes the water more acidic. This interferes with the chicken's acid base system and alkaline electrolyte solutions are better. Also on the chemistry angle, Calcium is a positive ion and the acv makes it harder for positive ions to absorb due to it's acidity. Calcium is better absorbed in alkaline. Acv helps absorb nutrients from food because not all nutrients are positive ions (most are negative ions and it's kinda like a magnet so the negative ions absorb better in acidity and there are more of them). The chicken gets more calcium when ingesting more food containing calcium. However, the chicken drinks more water and there are less nutrients from food to absorb and it takes away the calcium.

The corn is harder to digest for the chicken. The chicken's digestive system has evolved to get rid of input and output as fast as possible to improve flying. The corn being harder to digest makes the digestive system work harder. This increases body heat.

Simple answer-

The corn is harder to digest which makes them warmer.

The acv doesn't help absorb food because they don't eat as much but drink a ton of water. Vitamins and electrolytes (calcium is included) are a more of an issue and they get more if they are in the water. This is reverse in winter/not extreme heat because they little eat more and the acv can work on the food

The acv is like the human comparison drinking a lemonade and 7 glasses of water (not the best but not really the worst) vs a glass of a balanced sports drink (Pedialyte for example) and 7 glasses of water.


This is for summer only and I live in extreme heat (100-110 average temps sometimes) where the heat is the bane of chicken keeper's existence. So, here every little thing can become a little bigger. All solutions/foods should be used as directed to avoid kidney/liver failure etc. I was tired when I wrote this out of warning.