Automatic PVC-Tube Chicken feeder - tube angle

[DeepB]

Hello,

I am at the moment planing my first chicken coop.

I am planning on using an old insulated reefer trailer (approx 7m x 2,4m ~22' x 7').
I am also planning on putting in a wall so I have a storage area.

I plan to make the pvc-tube feeder refillable from the storage compartment so I do not have to enter the chicken coop itself.
Unfortunately I cannot use the wall between coop and storage unit itself.

Now my questions are:
At what angle can I put the PVC-tube with the feed still trickling down?
And what size tube to use?

To illustrate what I mean:
general layout:

Feeder Idea:

 

[ChickenLove0812]

Wow! It looks cool!

 

[Rldad1]

You might want to think about switching the nest boxes and feeders. That puts the feeders where with a 60 degree angle you can fill from the storage area and if you want the nest boxes can be built to access from outside. Just a thought.

 

[DeepB]

Unfortunately that is unfeasible, as the outher wall is thicker (insulated), and thus I do not want to cut to many openings inside.
The inside divider is thin, and I wanted to have an opening where I can take out the eggs from the storage compartment.

 

[Rldad1]

Unfortunately that is unfeasible, as the outher wall is thicker (insulated), and thus I do not want to cut to many openings inside.
The inside divider is thin, and I wanted to have an opening where I can take out the eggs from the storage compartment.

With the length you have to run the feeder tube, you may not get the feed to funnel all the way down. The angle may be too small. You probably should plan on a minimum 4" tube. Typically the PVC feeder is 3" which is what mine is.

 

[DeepB]

Well that is the question. As the heigth is slightly above 2m (6,5ft) I can run it at 45°. Do you think that is not enough?

 

[Rldad1]

Try this, take a piece of pipe the length you need and set it at the 6.5 ft height and the bottom where it runs into the U base at the 45 degree angle. Drop a handful or two into the pipe and see if it slides all the way down. Use a couple of scoops. If it runs all the way down then it is good. You can proof this before you commit to building. Water will run right through but the coefficient of friction for the feed may not allow it to travel all the way.

 

[DeepB]

Try this, take a piece of pipe the length you need and set it at the 6.5 ft height and the bottom where it runs into the U base at the 45 degree angle. Drop a handful or two into the pipe and see if it slides all the way down. Use a couple of scoops. If it runs all the way down then it is good. You can proof this before you commit to building. Water will run right through but the coefficient of friction for the feed may not allow it to travel all the way.

Thanks, I'll try it out.

another thing: I saw in a few videos/description that people have a narrowing piece at the end so the chicken don't pull the feed out.
I thought about somethin like this.
How narrow should the end opening be? I guess something like 3" is ok (I was thinking about doing the pipe itself in 4.3" (110mm))

 

[aart]

have a narrowing piece at the end so the chicken don't pull the feed out.

That's another issue with the tube feeders, other than flow stopping packing,
they are not spill proof.
Many variations on what folks do to stop the billing out.

 

[Rldad1]

Going from 4" to 3" requires an adapter similar to one you showed. Yours is fancier. Aart is correct that any PVC tube will result in some spillage. Depends on your flock and also how much spillage you are willing to tolerate. I have very little spillage in mine but I only feed 5 birds. If my spillage gets too heavy, I have already built on of Aart's bucket no-spill feeders.