Homemade accessories?

[janeyo]

My OH has just made an automatic water dispenser!
And is almost finished a 'treadle' feeder.
(pics to folow)
We haven't found anyone to feed and watet the chooks while away getting married. My mum normally does them but is coming with us. The neighbour who has done them in the past over feeds them and let the drinkers run bone dry.

As a result we are trying to put measures in place for the chooks so we don't have to rely on other people.

I got an outside dustbin and he has connected up the automatic drinker and suspended it in the run. It works on a gravity filler.

he is making a treadle so they can get the food whenever they want and will hopefully stop the wild birds making themselves so at home.

Has anyone got homemade feeders or such drinkers and has had any problems?

I've only got 3 weeks to ensure they work before we go away!

[Hilary B]

Best of luck! We did once have a drinker based on the same principle as the smaller 'field troughs' , with a ball-float valve (in a 'header' tank outside the pen) and a short bit of pipe linking to a dish that was level with the water in the tank.

[Glutton4...]

I have two large 'home-made' feed hoppers (eBay) made from plastic drums with screw-on lids. They have a spring-feeder in the bottom, and three wooden legs. They hold nearly a sack of feed, and are very good for the purpose you describe. In fact that is why I bought them. The only problem with them, is that my Hens are either lazy or stupid, and can't always be bothered to peck at the spring to release the food.

I also have two galvanised water hoppers (also eBay) that were purpose built and are excellent. They have plastic bowls at the bottom to dispense the water, so dosing with ACV is easy, and they supply water for my 'mob' for ages.

Whilst none of these are 'homemade' by me/us, they serve the purpose that you require. I had similar problems with Chook-sitters, myself. People are happy to come and collect eggs, but the importance of 'animal husbandry' seems to be something that certain people just can't grasp.

I had my first 'egg-eating' problem, after leaving my Dad in charge, as he didn't replenish their food. And coming home to empty water buckets is very distressing (for me, as well as the poor Hens!), especially when the 'Chook-sitter' tells you how wonderful they are, and how much they enjoyed 'looking after' them!

Shame you're not nearer, mate - I'm used to looking after other folks animals....!

[Glutton4...]

I forgot to add - algae in water is poisonous to Chooks, so always ensure that the water container is kept clean and algae free. It will be fine for a week or so's holiday, but will need a good scrub upon your return if you want to continue using it. Dark containers work best, and kept in the shade is even better.

I would be interested in seeing pictures of your feeder, if you have time to post them!

[janeyo]

Here is the drinker

[janeyo]

Here is the feeder - beautifully modelled by my children!

This morning the chooks have 'half' got it. I open it with my foot, they jump on it and feed, I take my foot off. One jumps off, the feeder shuts and they get spooked and run off and then I have to out my foot on again... they will soon master it I am sure ;D

[Flummery]

My biggest problem would be the eggs. You need them removing every day. Maybe people are keener to do that though!

[janeyo]

Yes I have had a neighbour willing to collect and keep all the eggs (I normally deliver them to elderly relatives a few miles away who wouldn't be able to come and look after them for me). She doesn't like feathers

Funny how people are happy to keep all your eggs but don't want any real responsibility!

[RichmondHens]

I forgot to add - algae in water is poisonous to Chooks, so always ensure that the water container is kept clean and algae free. It will be fine for a week or so's holiday, but will need a good scrub upon your return if you want to continue using it. Dark containers work best, and kept in the shade is even better.

I would be interested in seeing pictures of your feeder, if you have time to post them!

Apple cider vinegar added to the water will keep the algae at bay, but it has to be a plastic drinker not metal.

How long are you away for janeyo? Is there no-one at all to pop and just see that the water drinker is working ok? I would be paranoid that it would fail, even if I had left it set up with plenty of water in. I don't leave mine at all without having someone in to "do the rounds".

[Glutton4...]

Apple cider vinegar added to the water will keep the algae at bay ...

I'm obviously not using enough ACV, then!

[walldanzig]

I love the drinker. That would be great for every day use. Instead of walking around with a watering can filling lots of drinkers I could just fill the bin once a week. Consider me inspired

[janeyo]

We are away for 11 nights - (wedding and ivf at same time!) My mum is coming for the first few days then they join us abroad.
The trouble is that because it's in half term, all the people who wold normally love to look after them are all away too!

I will get my regular neighbour to come in and collect eggs and check all is well. If they don't actually have to feed them it will be fine. They have a tendancy to overfeed them with all sorts of random rubbish. And they can check the drinker. I guess they get to keep all the eggs too. But last time she did give me some back when we got home!

I just don't trust them 100% anymore not to balls it up!

It will be fine and at least now we have the drinker / feeder in place to cut down my workload when we are here

[Glutton4...]

It does make life much easier, I found. It is a worry when people don't understand the importance of correct feeding, and it is difficult to moan at people, when they are actually doing you a favour!

[janeyo]

one time they got out - bored I think as I am in and out talking to them all day and they obviously missed me - and the neighbour- bless his cotton socks -made the fence safe all the way round!

They are very well meaning just a bit misguided when it comes to feeding and watering chooks!

Having said that I haven't asked them if they can do it yet!

[polo]

Similar problem here. I have quite a lot of neighbours who help but I had had to tell them no treats AT ALL because they were making the hens ill. I would come back to hens with diarrhoea and the one who struggles with her crop just can't manage treats at all.

I also had to explain again that they didn't need to chase them around at night to get them in - they do it on their own!!

I'm lucky I have help close by but it can be a double edged sword.

We should set up a chicken sitter/feeding service through the forum??