9 Important Feeding Equipment For Chickens
Are you interested in chicken farming? Probably you have built their pen but you are tired of the choice of feeding equipment for chickens to buy.
This article is aimed at giving you guidance on the chicken Feeding Equipment you should buy.
Feeding Equipment For Chickens
Poultry farming is a lucrative agricultural business. To successfully start, follow our guide on How to start a Poultry farming business. To make poultry farming less stressful, attention has to be carefully paid to their equipment, especially their feeding equipment. The right choice of feeding equipment to invest in is also a factor that can boost the yield.
Poultry equipment is designed to function inside the cage. For high productivity and equity in growth, this equipment is to be distributed evenly.
Choosing the right feeding equipment for chickens without the needed information is not easy. This is because there are many feeding equipments for Chickens. Chicken feeding equipment is normally basic and is affordable
Here are the 9 Feeding Equipment For Chickens you need to buy
1. Chicken Feed
Chicken feed is the most important feeding equipment for chickens. Chicken feeds are specific to breeds, the purpose of farming, and the stage of growth. Chicken feeds come in different forms like starters and the rest.
Popular brands that produce chicken feeds in Nigeria are Top feeds, Vital feeds, etc. They come in different forms, pellets, marsh, and powdered.
They are expensive presently and have an average shelf life, but buying chicken feeds is a must because without food the birds won’t survive. Chicken feeds are available in animal feed stores nationwide.
2. Feeder
Another important piece of feeding equipment for chickens is the Feeder. Feeders are metal, plastic, or wooden plate-like equipment used for serving food to chicken and poultry birds as a whole. Feeders come in different types, we have the linear feeder, circular feeder, and automatic feeder.
Linear feeders and circular feeders are the most common feeders they are commonly metallic (while the circular feeders are commonly made from plastic) and about a meter long and cubical and conical in structure respectively.
To prevent sand and with a top opening to allow chickens to feed. They also have handles for support. Large farms use Automatic feeders because of their speed and time-saving advantage.
Every chicken farm is expected to have a feeder as serving the birds food on the bare floor is not hygienic and will not allow the feed to go around the birds equally.
Feeders are also mostly sold where chicken feeds are sold. They are affordable a single feeder costs about N1500 in Nigeria.
3. Drinkers
Drinkers are equipment used for giving the chickens water. Drinkers of three types: Bell-type automatic waterer, Nipple drinker and manual drinker.
Manual drinkers are the most common in Nigerian chicken farms. Metal manual drinkers are the best that’s why Harris farm poultry drinkers are highly patronized worldwide. And also because of their durability. Although plastic manual drinkers are the most purchased because they are cheap, quality Metal manual drinkers are the best.
These drinkers are kept 0.6m near the feeders, for ease in feeding. Invest at least 500ml per chicken and check the drinker regularly in hot or cold weather.
Plastic manual drinkers cost about N1000 while metal manual drinkers can be purchased with anything for about N2000.
4. Grit box
Birds break down food using their gizzard, but in most cases, they are not very effective so the farmer introduces Grits. Grits are tiny stones eaten by birds to help them digest their food well.
A Grit box is a box where grits are served to the chickens. A grit box is very important feeding equipment for chickens because they prevent the chickens from swallowing big stones that will chock them. Shell grit boxes are commonly used. The grit box is expected to be on every chicken farm because of its relevance.
5. Heaters/brooders
Heaters are also known as broader are chicken equipment used to keep the birds warm. Examples of heaters are Infrared brooders, Gas brooders, and charcoal brooders. Many farmers say that heaters help chickens to feed well and also lay many eggs.
6. Feed Storage bins
Another vital feeding equipment for chickens is the feed storage bins. As its name implies, it is a bin where feeds are stored. These bins preserve the feeds from water, pests, and contaminants. They can be metallic or plastic and are big. No hole is supposed to be found on it, the only opening should be the cover.
The feed bags or bulk of open feed is kept in it and it is tightly closed to avoid water, pests, and contaminants like dust. Feed storage bins are necessary on every poultry farm.
7. Dust Bath
Confined chickens need a dust bath to clean their skin and feathers. Dust baths are necessary on every farm. For chickens to be healthy and have an appetite to feed they need to be clean.
Dust baths are equipment just like soaps used to wash chickens to remove even pests. They should be used in bowls, and basins and not in cartons as they will soak.
8. Cleaning Out Kit
Another feeding equipment for chickens needed on your farm is a cleaning-out kit. In this kit, tools like a small shovel, brush, broom, and packer are contained in it.
After chickens feed, you will need tools to clean where they are, remember chickens are not as intelligent as humans. You can decide to buy the tools individually, either way, a cleaning tool is provided.
9. Materials for Bedding
These are materials used to cover the ground of poultry farms. They can be wood shaving which has been dust extracted. Aside from wood shavings, other absorbents like hemp, bales, and chopped cardboard.
If your rooms are large, bales will be the best for bleeding. Always consider this, every bedding must be dust-free and pest free.
Also Read: 12 catfish farming equipment for success
Conclusion
The right choices of Feeding equipment for chickens are very important for the success of the chickens. There are many chicken equipment but we enlisted 9 that are necessary for every chicken pen.
They are Chicken feed, feeders, drinkers, grit boxes, feed storage bins, heater/brooders, dust baths, cleaning out kits, and bedding materials. Without any of these, your venture into chicken farming is likely to be futile.
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