How to make a do-it-yourself turkey feeder

Turkey is the unspoken leader among poultry meat breeds. However, in order to get the maximum amount of meat, the turkey should first be fattened. For a quick mass gain, this bird species must be fed frequently, so the turkey feeder must be constantly full. There are store systems of constant feed supply, however, such a feeder can be done with your own hands. It is important to determine the external form and materials.

1. Automatic hopper with a base, divided into sections.
2. Wooden types of feeders from boxes.
3. Pipe systems of automatic feed.
4. Trays.

To choose the type of feeder, consider the following indicators:

• age and number of turkeys;
• house sizes ;
• type of feed.

In addition, the material for construction depends on the type of feed. Wet foods require metal or plastic containers, while mixed or dry foods are best stored in wooden containers.

All materials must be thoroughly sanitized before building the feed system. Large poultry have weak immunity and are easily susceptible to various diseases. The turkey feeder should keep the food from external contamination and internal decay.

Use special senniki for grass. They can be made at home. A wooden frame is attached to a vertical surface, on which a metal mesh is pulled. On three sides, the sennik should be fixed to the frame, and on top it is filled with hay or fresh grass.

The installation of the feeder also has certain standards. The hole with the food should be a couple of centimeters above the floor so that the turkeys are comfortable to eat. Regardless of the type of feeder, you should equip it with rails so that the bird does not introduce dirt into the food. Drinking bowls are often installed next to the feeder.

Features of a home-made turkey feeder

A home-made turkey and chicken feeder has certain advantages over the store product:

1. Easy to manufacture. Drawings for many types of feeders are publicly available. In addition, there are photos and videos of various master classes.
2. Individual parameters. Home-made feeders are convenient to use, because when they are created, the dimensions of a particular house will be taken into account.I usually use materials that are always at hand — boards, bottles, buckets — to create such devices.

Feeders-trays

Feed over turkey poultry

The tray is considered the simplest type of feeders. The feed is fully regulated by humans, and the grain is rarely protected from external sources of pollution.

However, the mixers, wet and juicy feed to birds can only be given in such designs. The bunker system is not suitable for these types of food, because the holes are instantly clogged with food.

The tray feeder for turkeys and chickens is made according to one principle – a frame is knocked out of wooden blocks, which is fixed to the base from dense plywood. Sometimes together wood use metal or plastic, which deteriorate less from moisture. If such a tray is on the street, then it will be equipped with a special canopy.

Such a structure should be washed often – turkeys and chickens have a habit of raking food or contaminating food with straw and feathers. If sanitary standards are not respected, the grain will become unusable and the birds may become ill. To avoid such problems, the tray can be fixed at a height of a few centimeters from the floor.

Universal feeder for young animals

For turkeys and chickens, they often build feeders from improvised materials.

Since they need much less grain than adults, experienced poultry farmers use a special design. To build such a feeder, you need:

1. A bucket of seven or ten liters.
2. A bowl with sections that are used for dogs and cats.
3. Tools for cutting.

The bottom of the bucket is attached to the bowl using self-tapping screws. On a kind of bunker make small holes in the number of sections. The grain is poured into an open bucket, after which the lid is firmly fixed. Under its own weight, the feed is in trays. Thanks to the sides and a small amount of grain, turkeys and chickens practically do not rake feed. Sometimes the feeder is attached to a vertical surface a few centimeters from the ground. In this case, the excess sections of the base should be cut. In this position, young animals are unable to bring dirt into their food, and the grain itself does not dry so quickly.

A sealed plastic bucket protects the grain from moisture. However, several small holes should be made under the cover itself, otherwise the feed may suffocate. This method is rarely used to feed adult turkeys or chickens, as the feeder is not too big. Older individuals with the help of such structures are given vitamin supplements. In some cases, the bucket can be replaced with a plastic bottle.

Pipe feeding system

This feed system is most often used on chicken farms.This convenient type of feeders is appreciated for its ease of manufacture and the ability to simultaneously feed the entire poultry population. In addition, little space is required to establish this design. Do-it-yourself chicken feeder from the pipe is also suitable for a larger bird, if you increase the holes for feeding the feed. For such a construction you will need:

• two meter-long plastic pipes;
• cutting tools;
• plumbing elbow;
• plywood board;
• self-tapping screws.

One of the pipes with the help of self-tapping screws is attached in plywood basis. On this workpiece make holes with a diameter of 100-150 millimeters. The distance between the holes must be observed in one bird’s step. With the help of a knee, a second pipe is attached at right angles, which plays the role of an automatic hopper. For better stability, the vertical part of the feeder is best secured. Due to the large number of holes, turkeys and chickens will not fight for food, and closed sides will not allow the bird to rake food.

If there are no tools for cutting plastic, you can do without holes. In this case, instead of a knee, a tee is used, to which two pipes are connected, blocking one side of the mixer with a plug. As a result, poultry has two feed holes. Grain under its own weight automatically fills the feeder.The advantage of a turkey feeder and chickens from the pipe is the material, since plastic does not allow grain to grow mold and does not allow moisture to pass through. A similar feeding system can be used for turkeys and chickens, but pipes of smaller diameter should be used for this.

Bunker type feeders

This type of structure is most often built on large chicken farms , since such a method of feeding poultry requires low energy costs from a person. The grain is poured into a special container and gradually disperse among the birds under its own pressure. Do-it-yourself automatic chicken feeder is also suitable for larger poultry such as turkeys or ducks. To make such a design you will need the following materials:

1. Plastic pipes with a diameter of 20 and 35 centimeters.
2. Wooden board.
3. A ten-liter water bottle.
4. Insulating tape, self-tapping screws, corners, rope.

Of the construction tools you will need a screwdriver, a hacksaw and a hammer. A large pipe is attached to the plywood base with the help of corners and self-tapping screws. A narrow pipe is installed in the center of the wide pipe. Using a hacksaw, oval holes of diameters of ten centimeters are cut out in plastic. It is important to keep the plastic rim in a wide pipe, otherwise the birds will spread the grain on the ground. The bottom of the bottle is cut off, after which it is fixed with the throat to a narrow pipe and fixed with electrical tape.To prevent debris from entering the hopper, the bottom is not completely cut off and is used as a cover. Dry grain is poured into such feeders, as wet mixers can clog holes. For turkeys and chickens, a similar system can be used with a liter bottle. Experienced breeders recommend that beginners watch the training video before building this facility.

Wooden feeder

Simple and practical feeder

This design is convenient because only one more material is needed for construction – wood. For the product you will need:

1. Base and roof made of solid wood 30×40 centimeters.
2. Two racks 30 cm high.
3. Two racks 27 cm high.

Using self-tapping screws, the bars are attached to the board. The rear struts should be shorter than the front. In this case, the roof will be at an angle, and moisture will drain. If the roof slope is directed to the house, then water can fill the floor of the enclosure. The resulting design is installed in turkey poultry or mounted on the aviary grid. The main advantage of such a structure is the simplicity and low cost of materials. Also, the feed will not be damp due to good air circulation. However, it is better not to leave such a product on the street, or to equip the base with additional sills. Otherwise, the feed may be scattered by the wind.

Remember that only dry food can be stored in wooden feeders. If you put a wet mash in a similar feeder, then the base may begin to rot. Often this open type of feeding trough is used for feeding turkeys and chickens on a pasture.

Feeder made from a box

This option is suitable for an open area. A method of manufacturing such a feeder is very simple. In a medium-sized plywood box, the front side is cut using a jigsaw. The cover is attached to the three side walls using self-tapping screws. It is advisable to leave a three-centimeter leaflet so that the turkeys do not scatter food.

This design is well suited for turkey poultry. However, it is better not to install such a feeder outside the pen, as a flat canopy collects moisture. In order to prevent moldy grain, several holes of diameters of a couple of centimeters should be made in the side walls of the box.

The size of such a product is calculated according to the number of turkeys. Remember that hungry birds can arrange a fight for a place near the feeder, so the box should be quite wide.

Free-standing feeder

Turkey feeders are not limited to strict form, many farmers make them individually under an aviary or poultry house.

This method of making feeders is suitable for experienced poultry farmers, since the drawing for the future corral will have to be done manually.To correctly calculate the parameters of the feeder, you should pay attention to the following indicators:

1. The number of turkeys in the house.
2. Place for the feeder.
3. The shape of the hopper for grain.
4. Material for the manufacture.

After calculating the dimensions of the future structure, a sketch should be made. The feeder must be airtight, materials are selected in accordance with the type of feed. The advantages of such a capacity will be the individual parameters of the pen, which can be adapted to any house. However, from the first time, not everyone can make a convenient feeding trough, which will last a long time. There are many instructional videos for inexperienced poultry farmers.

Conclusion

Making turkey and chicken feeds requires certain skills. Products differ in materials, construction methods and dimensions. There are types of feeders that even inexperienced poultry farmers can make. Drawings for complex designs can be found in the public domain, which also simplifies the task.

Homemade feeders have many advantages over store counterparts, but at the same time they require certain physical costs. Experienced poultry farmers prefer the bunker type of feeders or free-form designs individually for the house.