Hi All,
I just finished my chicken tractor/coop..and have been using it for about 1 1/2 weeks. However, my PVC feeder doesn't work. When I move the tractor (daily), the vibrations of moving 'shake' a little feed down to refill what has been eaten, but not much. I'm assuming there is an error in my design - can anyone make suggestions? Do you have one that works well?
Design: I have a 4 ft. long 3" diameter pvc pipe, then a reducer (3" to 2"), then an elbow (60 degree? 120 degree? not sure how it is labeled), then a 5 ft. long 2" diameter pvc pipe that have 1.5" holes drilled every 6" for opening to eat from, plus, of course, end caps on both ends. The 5" feeder section drops 1 ft. over the 5' length.
feeder tube _____________/ <- upright/fill tube. 120 degrees between
Is the drop of the feeder pipe too shallow? Is it that my pellets are too big? Seems everything binds/doesn't flow through the reducer/elbow area. [And to think initially I was so proud of my accomplishment - being a non-builder
]
Pics aren't the best, but gives you an idea of set-up. First one shows feeder pipe on lower left. 2nd pic shows fill tube extending out to right.
Thanks for helping me troubleshoot/redesign. Good thing my secondary/back-up feeder is big, as it holds them through the day, but it does require a second feeding to top it up for the pre-dusk chow-down.
I just finished my chicken tractor/coop..and have been using it for about 1 1/2 weeks. However, my PVC feeder doesn't work. When I move the tractor (daily), the vibrations of moving 'shake' a little feed down to refill what has been eaten, but not much. I'm assuming there is an error in my design - can anyone make suggestions? Do you have one that works well?
Design: I have a 4 ft. long 3" diameter pvc pipe, then a reducer (3" to 2"), then an elbow (60 degree? 120 degree? not sure how it is labeled), then a 5 ft. long 2" diameter pvc pipe that have 1.5" holes drilled every 6" for opening to eat from, plus, of course, end caps on both ends. The 5" feeder section drops 1 ft. over the 5' length.
feeder tube _____________/ <- upright/fill tube. 120 degrees between
Is the drop of the feeder pipe too shallow? Is it that my pellets are too big? Seems everything binds/doesn't flow through the reducer/elbow area. [And to think initially I was so proud of my accomplishment - being a non-builder
]Pics aren't the best, but gives you an idea of set-up. First one shows feeder pipe on lower left. 2nd pic shows fill tube extending out to right.
Thanks for helping me troubleshoot/redesign. Good thing my secondary/back-up feeder is big, as it holds them through the day, but it does require a second feeding to top it up for the pre-dusk chow-down.
