How many drinkers and feeders are required in a chicken house? Both are important items that play an important role in chicken health. Knowing more about these products will also help you understand which ones to buy and how much.
Feeders and drinkers should be resistant, so that they don’t fall over and the hens do not perch on them ( remember that food on the ground can attract birds and rodents that carry diseases).
In general, a 25 litre drinker and a 15 kg feeder are needed for more than 10 chickens. For a hen house with between 5 and 10 hens, a 12-litre drinker and a 10 kg feeder are recommended.Finally, if there are only a few hens, a 5-litre feeder and a 2.5 kg feeder are sufficient.
Guide to choosing the right feeder
The most practical solution is definitely the automatic feeders, which have a very simple working This avoids food waste, as the device closes as soon as the hen gets off.
The recommended amount of feed per hen is 125 grams per day. Pedal feeders are just one of many options: siphon feeders and hopper feeders are also available.
The difference between treadle feeders and hopper feeders
Treadle feeders are usually in metal or plastic, into which food is placed and dropped into a tray at the bottom.
This device has several strengths: first of all, it is very reasonably priced and can be cleaned without too much difficulty.
In addition, the pedal system prevents other animals from stealing the chickens’ food.
Hopper feeders, on the other hand, can be placed on the ground or fixed to the wall and the food goes down gradually. This means that the hens have a sufficient supply of feed for a fairly long period of time. For this reason, it is an ideal solution for those who cannot spend a lot of time on their chicken house.
Chicken feeders: how many are needed and what to consider in buying?
So what is the ideal number of feeders for a chicken coop, depending on the number of chickens present? As we have seen, there are many different models on the market. The answer to this question depends on the model you choose.In general, hopper feeders are larger and can be used in smaller numbers. Depending on the size of the hopper, the constant presence of feed and grain can also be ensured.
A normal bowl, on the other hand, is suitable for a smaller number of chickens. In any case, there are several things to consider before buying a feeder: the capacity, the number of hens and, finally, the frequency of feed supply.
Drinkers: how many in a chicken coop?
Before buying a feeder for chickens, you should pay attention to several aspects: the capacity of the water, the number of chickens, the frequency of feeding and the accessibility of the water.In addition, during the summer, it is important to provide the hens more water. For the same reason, it is important to put more drinkers in the house, preferably in the shade. If the drinkers are located under a tree, they can fill up with leaves or small branches, so the water must be cleaned and changed frequently.
Assuming about 500 birds, the average daily water consumption is about 100 litres. For every 100 chickens, two automatic siphon drinkers are needed, or, if you use pipette drinkers, 2.5 centimeters of space between them.When using automatic drinkers, you need one drinker for every 50 hens; when using pipette drinkers, you need one drinker for every 30 hens.
If, on the other hand, you decide to use a siphon drinker, you need to consider the width of the base plate.For example, a 35 cm wide plate is sufficient for 130 hens and a 25 cm wide plate for 100 hens. An 18 cm wide plate is sufficient for a maximum of 30 hens.
As you can see, the choice of model is a decisive element in determining the number of drinkers you need in a poultry house.
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