DIY pig trough drawings. We make our own feeders for pigs and wild boars. Wooden trough for pigs

Kira Stoletova

Pigs are leaders among domestic animals in terms of productivity and unpretentiousness. From one individual you can get more than a hundred kilograms good meat, and proper fattening guarantees a fat layer with high taste qualities. Also, sows are considered very fertile among artiodactyls. To get maximum quantity final product, the animal must be properly fattened. If the farm is large, then automatic feed supply should be provided. You can build feeders for pigs with your own hands. However, for good results you should use quality materials and drawings.

Requirements for feeding containers

Before you make a pig feeder with your own hands, you should master carpentry skills and calculate the drawing future design. There are several basic requirements for any feeders:

availability of food for animals;
tightness;
absence of toxic components;
compliance of materials and consistency of feed.

A closed structure must have a ventilation system. If the air circulation inside the container is impaired, this can cause spoilage of the grain feed. High humidity in the absence of ventilation leads to the appearance of mold and mildew.

Artiodactyls have a well-developed muscle mass and rarely eat food carefully. The container must stand firmly on the ground. In addition, a do-it-yourself feeder for piglets should be equipped with special thresholds to prevent food from spilling out onto the ground. When the young animals eat food from the stall, they begin to pick up the scattered remains. Also, drinking bowls are often installed near the feeders, so dirt can get into the water.

Types of feeders depending on products

The do-it-yourself pig feeder design should take into account the characteristics of the feed. If food takes up a lot of space, then the container should have a large volume. Also, the materials and shape of the container depend on the consistency of the food:

For dry cereal crops Medium-sized feeders are suitable. The tightness of the bunker is not a priority, but the grain should not spill. The best material for such containers there is a tree. This raw material is environmentally friendly and has the property of drawing excess moisture, which will not allow the grains to become damp.
For hay and grass, it is better to use iron bars and nets. Green food takes up a lot of space and is too light to automatically fill the tray under the pressure of its own weight.
It is better to pour wet mash and liquid substances into the trough. Due to its viscosity, food may become stuck in the hopper system. The best material for such containers is plastic or metal, as this will protect the feeder from leaking.

Separation of feed supply for animals of different ages

In a large farm, young animals and adults should be fed separately. Eating food together between pigs of all ages can have the following consequences:

adults can trample piglets;
bacteria and harmful insects from older pigs can cause diseases in young animals;
the piglets won't get it required quantity feed and will be stunted.

To ensure that the young animals eat well, they do separate design. Separation between animals occurs by adjusting the thresholds and sides: in this way, adults will not be able to reach the piglets’ feed, and young animals will not eat from a common high trough.

The best option would be a do-it-yourself pig feeder, the sides of which are at the chest level of small piglets. This will allow animals to eat without tilting their heads, which will have a good effect on the development of bone and muscle tissue.

The food tray should be angled so that food collects in one place. To achieve this effect, you need to make the rear pillars a few centimeters higher than the front ones. This design not only simplifies eating, but also facilitates the process of cleaning the container.

To make the feeder last longer, you can adjust the threshold height using hinges. To do this, grooves are made in the side walls of the feeder, and the front sheet of plywood should go down to the floor in front of the racks. To secure the adjustable bead to required height, you can use self-tapping screws.

To prevent young animals from getting into the trough of older pigs, you need to install a ceiling made of boards. This will not be an obstacle for adults, and piglets will not be able to scatter food. To properly cover a pig feeder with boards, you should watch a video or photo from master classes.

Standard feeder lengths for piglets of different ages

There are standards for calculating the length of a structure and they depend on the age and number of artiodactyls:

For one piglet at the age of two months, you need 15 cm of free space.
Five-month-old young animals require 30 cm of length per individual.
An adult female requires 40 cm of free space, and a male - 60 cm.

The depth of a regular trough should be at least 30 cm for any age of pigs.

Types of feeders depending on the filling method

There are several types of construction depending on the filling:

Manual filling. This type includes open trays and troughs. These feeders are suitable for wet mash and liquid. The feed is supplied manually by a person. Such designs are easy to make at home.
Automatic filling. This method of feeding feed is used on large farms because it saves the owner’s physical costs. Automatic feeders for pigs, their design includes a bunker into which food is poured. Under its own weight, the food independently regulates the filling of the tray.

Hopper pig feeder is used by farmers to provide crops or vegetables to their herd. The body of the product can be metal or made of wood. People who are well versed in carpentry can build bunker feeders for pigs at home, since the container should be made airtight.

Automatic feeders for farm pigs can be purchased at a factory or in a store. The company guarantees the quality of the product, but the design itself may not comply individual requirements animals.

Methods for making feeders at home

The advantage of such designs is an individual drawing, which is calculated for a specific barn. Thanks to this, you can adjust the length and height of the container. There are several types of simple homemade hand-fed feeders.

The advantage of such designs over store-bought ones is their relative cheapness. For construction, scrap materials and simple tools are used.

Feeders made from plastic bottles

Such feeders are often used to feed young animals during the period active growth. Plastic compares favorably with wood or metal because it does not leak or corrode. The downside is short term operation.

To make such a container, use 10 liter bottles. The manufacturing process looks like this:

the bottle is cut in half;
the neck part is cut off;
the halves are secured with construction adhesive.

This container is suitable for dry products and wet mash. The lack of material costs allows you to make a new feeder for each generation of piglets. In a similar way, you can make a drinking bowl for an animal by cutting the bottle crosswise, not lengthwise.

Feeders made from technical pipes

PVC pipes are often used on farms with a large number pigs. The elongated shape of the raw material allows you to make a container with which you can feed large number animals.

The pipe must have a diameter of at least 60 cm, otherwise the container will be too small. The manufacturing process has the following features:

the pipe is cut in half;
plugs are installed along the edges of the structure;
The feeder is attached to the wall.

This design requires fastening to a vertical surface, otherwise the pigs may turn it over. In such a feeder you can feed liquids and wet mash, since the material does not allow water to pass through. To avoid leakage, the plugs should be reinforced with construction adhesive. This way you can make feeders and drinkers for farm pigs.

Cylinder feeders

A good pig feeder can be made from a gas cylinder. Such designs are characterized by longevity, thanks to raw materials. In addition, metal feeders are easier to clean and handle. disinfectants, they absorb less chemicals and toxins.

It should be noted that a feeder made from a gas cylinder requires skill in cutting metal. Before work, the cylinder should be left open overnight outside. If the container is not ventilated, the remaining gas may ignite when working on metal. The next morning, the valve should be lubricated with soapy water. The absence of bubbles indicates that gas has escaped. The cylinder is fixed on the ground, after which you can start cutting the container with a grinder.

Before starting work, you need to apply markings so that the cut is even. You can get several feeders from one cylinder, so do not neglect the calculations.

The structure is cut along the vertical axis. Each half should be burned to get rid of the heavy smell, after which it can be installed in the barn. This feeder weighs a lot, so you need to decide in advance where to place it.

Before making a balloon feeder for pigs, beginners are advised to watch instructional videos and photos.

However, breeders often use automatic feeding for piglets. The manufacturing process is simple:

for the feeder you will need 2 buckets of 10 liters;
the bottom of containers is cut off;
buckets are secured with cuts to each other using construction glue;
in the lower bucket, holes are cut in the side walls in a circle.

This product should be secured near a vertical surface. The holes should be 30 cm wide. To prevent the young animals from scattering the food, a small threshold should be left. These feeders are filled with wet food and vegetables. Before making such a feeder for piglets, you should take into account the age of the animals. This method of serving food is suitable for individuals younger than 5 months.

When starting farming and breeding animals, including pigs, you first need to take care of the housing of future pets, as well as their nutrition. In order for the pigs to be well-fed and healthy, it is necessary to properly arrange the feeding area and prepare a suitable feeder for them.

Pig feeder: basic requirements

Feeding livestock is the most important component of both the health and life of the animal. The health of its and its offspring, the quality of meat and lard depend on how the pig eats, so the feeder plays a very important role.

The main requirements include:

type and size of feeder;
sanitary condition.

For the size of the feeder, the number of pigs that will eat from it matters; size and age of individuals and piglets (adults and piglets need to be fed separately); gender of animals (boys need more food than girls).

The length of the feeder depends on the “population”. For babies up to two months of age, 20 cm is enough, and adults need at least 30 cm. A nursing mother (sow) needs 40 cm, and a large boar needs all 50 cm.

If the structure is made long, then divisions must be made at every required distance so that each pig has its own “plate”. Liquid and dry food are served to the animals separately, just as water is poured into a separate tank.

Other requirements for the pork “table” include:

availability for easy cleaning(after each animal meal, the feeder must be washed thoroughly);
protection against foreign organic and inorganic substances(contrary to what most people think, pigs don't eat everything);
strong fastening (to protect against overturning and contamination of the enclosure);
tightness to prevent food spillage and spillage.

How to make a feeder with your own hands: 3 ways

Before you start making a feeder with your own hands, you need to choose available tools that will help simplify the process. Such means can be: metal, plastic barrels or an old gas cylinder.

Metal feeder

The so-called bunker feeders are usually made of metal - this is an iron structure that allows you to feed the pig in portions, due to the fact that its lower part is the usual divided “plates”, and the upper part is a cone-shaped iron box with a narrow bottom. This allows the food to spill out after the pigs have eaten the existing portion.

So, let's start preparing a regular bunker (dimensions are designed for 10 large piglets):

Take a square one profile pipe(approximately 12*12 cm), cut on one side along the edge, open, you get two “trays”, and in the middle there is a corner (the bunker itself will be attached to this corner).
To prepare the bunker, you will need two thick sheets of metal (length - 60 cm, height - 4 cm, width - approximately 1-1.5 cm), place them on a long edge parallel to each other at a distance of approximately 7 cm and weld the ends using suitable sheets metal (it turns out to be a long rectangle without top and bottom).
The upper part (the so-called cone) needs to be made of 4 sheets of metal: 2 wider for length (to make the length the size of the tray itself) and 2 narrower for width. We weld in such a way that the result is a four-sided conical triangle, with a hollow middle (the volume of food placed should be 3 buckets of dry food, the height of the hopper should be approximately 15 cm).
We weld the top part of the bunker to the bottom (long rectangle).
We connect the hopper and the feeder so that the middle of the bottom of the hopper coincides with the corner of the feeder (for even pouring out of food).
We take ordinary fittings, cut them into equal parts as long as the width of the tray and weld them at the same distance so that only 1 pig can freely insert his nickel into the tray (thereby providing a “plate” for each pet).

Video: making a metal feeder

Important! You should not make bins that are too large: the piglets will not be able to stop and will eat until the food stops spilling out. Overeating is very harmful for your pig.

Plastic barrel feeder

The easiest thing will be to make pork " dining table"from an ordinary plastic barrel that you no longer need. The main thing is that such a base is environmentally friendly (only harmless natural biological substances should be stored in it).

To prepare such a feeder you need:

Important! It is advisable to make dividing beams so that each pig has its own place and no one else gets into its plate.

Feeder from a gas cylinder

Another, relatively easy method, which requires an old used gas cylinder (for example, propane). It is important to remember that when working with special dangerous objects, which specifically includes a gas cylinder, you must follow safety regulations.

So, after the gas cylinder is found, you should check it: to do this, you need to take a soap solution, lubricate it with the place where the gas should come out, and open the valve: if not soap bubbles- the cylinder is empty.

Important! In order to get rid of the smell of gas, it is necessary to treat the cut cylinder with fire (on a fire or with a burner).

Breeding various domestic animals is popular in our country. A common type of private livestock farming is pig farming. This is due to a number of factors: large and rapid weight gain of the animal, as well as the ability to use food waste.

Feeding system functions

In order to obtain environmentally friendly meat, the pig must not only be well fed, but also kept in normal conditions. They should have two types of nurseries: for liquid food and dry food.

Modern feeding systems perform a number of functions. First of all, they provide full access to food. Secondly, they prevent pigs from entering the container. Thirdly, they prevent contamination of food with waste products. It is very important that the nursery matches hygienic requirements and were accessible for cleaning. You can make such a device yourself from scrap materials. The simplest thing is a standard trough or steel barrels cut vertically. There are several types of devices that are made from different materials.

Barrel feeding systems

The disadvantage of this design is the absence of barriers blocking access to the container, which leads to various infections and sometimes to the loss of animals. In order for pigs to eat normally, it is necessary to improve such a device by welding metal rods to divide the upper space into several zones.

DIY pig feeders

To build such a device, you will need the following materials:

steel reinforcement with a diameter of 8-10 mm;
Bulgarian;
welding machine with electrodes.

Using a grinder to cut required quantity pieces of reinforcement and weld them around the perimeter of the frame to each other, making an indent so that the animal can eat. This will reduce the possibility of pigs getting sick. Metal parts wash well and treat with disinfectants.

Metal systems

This article presents various pig feeder designs. For example, you can build a metal manger yourself elongated shape. They are made of thin steel. The workpiece is bent on the frame using a mallet (with a rubber or wooden striker) or a hammer. It is necessary to trim the edges so that the animal does not get hurt while eating. Two end parts provide more. They are welded or attached with rivets. To prevent pigs from getting into the feed, several crossbars should be installed in increments of 45-50 cm.

Required materials

As a basis for this design, a pipe of the appropriate diameter sawn lengthwise is used. The edges are sealed with metal plates and the legs are welded. The weight and strength of the structure must correspond to the age and size of the pig. Lightweight pig feeders should be fixed to a horizontal surface to prevent animals from tipping them over.

"Grandfather" method

If the pipe is not at hand, you can build a structure from bricks. To do this, dig a trench 30 cm deep and 60 cm wide. Next, lay waterproofing and begin mixing cement mortar. Brickwork done in the center of the trench and along the edges (at an angle of 45 0). After complete drying, the inner walls are leveled. To do this, mix a strong solution with the addition of liquid glass. The cracks are filled between the bricks, after which a container for food is placed in a semicircle. Pig feeders are made using a spatula or trowel. After all processes have been completed, it is necessary to treat the surface liquid waterproofing. Any manger should have beveled or rounded edges so that they can be easily washed, as well as a slight slope to drain dirty water.

Do-it-yourself pig feeders are much cheaper for owners. You just need to show a little imagination and find time to make them. For example, old tire from a tractor will also be an excellent find.

Modern technologies

Today, thanks to innovation, it is possible to make bunker feeders for pigs from a variety of materials: plastic, stainless steel, painted metal. This structure should be convenient, promote economical food consumption and prevent feed from spilling.

It is also necessary to take into account that for piglets that are raised to maturity, the strength of the feeder does not matter. The main thing is that they do not chew it off, so it is better to make it from strong material. Pigs are not limited in food during fattening. Therefore, it is important that food comes to the nursery automatically, taking into account its absorption. Hopper pig feeders can serve up to 60 animals. In addition, it is easy to install a nipple drinker there so that animals can independently take liquid food.

It would be good if such a system is equipped with a dispenser. It will help control the rate of food consumption for each pig and carry out dosed veterinary treatment, if necessary. When kept in groups, it is important that animals do not crowd out each other when feeding. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to provide their places with individual dispensers.

Industrial feeding systems

A more complex design for feeding animals is bunker feeders for pigs. For the manufacture of one device, aluminum or steel sheets 2-3 cm thick. This design is used to supply mixed feed or crushed grain, that is, for dry food.

As a base, a metal box made of sheets is used, inside of which a hopper is installed. It is very important that the walls are inclined. This ensures that food is concentrated at the bottom. The drawing of a bunker feeder for pigs clearly shows what such a design looks like. Its production takes a minimum of time and financial costs. To ensure that pigs have full access to food, the lower part of the bunker is equipped with small double-sided trays. This will allow you to feed several animals at the same time.

If you add a large amount of food, you can significantly reduce the time of feeding the animals.

Wooden bunkers

A cheaper option is a feeder made from natural materials. To make it, take two edged boards deciduous or coniferous species. Two triangular and triangular parts are cut out of them. rectangular shape the same length. They are installed at the ends of the entire structure. The drawings of a pig feeder presented in this article clearly show all the components for this device.

The resulting elements are connected with nails or self-tapping screws. To create the upper limiters, cut out three wooden slats of a certain length, they are nailed to the side walls. The frame is made of bars, the cross-sectional diameter of which is 60-70 mm. A hole is cut out at a right angle in the center of each element. The second option includes rectangular parts, making the design easier and much faster. Each livestock breeder chooses for himself what kind of feeders to make for pigs. The price depends on the materials used and additional elements that were applied. The main disadvantage wooden structure is poor moisture resistance.

Have you decided to get one or more pigs? Have you prepared a shed for them and think that this will be enough? But you will definitely need feeders for pigs, which, if desired, can be easily constructed with your own hands.

General design requirements

Such food containers, like feeders, are intended for daily feeding of the animal. Because of this, the health of the pig will also directly depend on it. After all, if such containers are constantly dirty, then the animal will definitely get sick sooner or later. To maintain the health of piglets, when using feeders you should follow a few simple rules. These rules apply to all types of structures and are mandatory to comply with.

General sanitary standards

The pig feeding container should always be kept clean. To do this, you should adhere to one very simple rule, namely, such a device should be easy to clean and wash.
Then the feeder constantly gets clogged. Such clogging must be prevented in advance.
It is very bad if food constantly spills out of the container. It is necessary to prevent dry food from spilling out and wet food from pouring out.
For different types feed must be taken different types containers, and drinking water is given only from the drinking bowl.
The main requirement for a container for liquid food is its tightness. After all, the constant leakage of liquid will not only bring economic loss to the owner, but will also constantly clog the pigsty. Thus, the humidity in it will always be high, and this is also bad for pigs.
The design of the device for feeding piglets must be such that the animal can easily reach the feed. The best option containers with beveled edges or rounded corners are considered.
It will be good if you install the container at an angle. This way, the leftover food will always be collected in one place and if the animal doesn’t finish eating, the owner can easily remove it.

Common sizes

When purchasing or making feeders for piglets, you should remember that their size should constantly change throughout the life of the animal. So, for example, small and low containers are perfect for small piglets, and, on the contrary, large containers for large ones. Then, if there are a lot of pigs, it is better to install long troughs as feeders. This way, all the pigs can eat at the same time. At the same time, it is also worth dividing the trough into compartments with jumpers so that animals cannot climb into it.

Table of norms for the width of feeders for animals of different ages

Table of norms for the length of feeders for pigs of different ages

Do it yourself

Based on the number of pigs and their age, as well as the type of food they will be given, several types of feeders can be made. The first type is ordinary feeders for piglets and pigs. These include various types of simple containers, such as a basin, a trough, etc. The second most common type when feeding dry food is automatic structures, which are also called bunkers.

There, the feed is supplied automatically depending on how much the pig eats. But this type of feeder is quite difficult to build, so we will look at simpler options. In addition, no matter what kind of feeder you build, it can be fixed, mobile, individual or for a group of pigs. Here the decision is yours.

From a plastic barrel

If you have an old large plastic barrel lying around that no one needs, then do not rush to throw it away. It will make an excellent feeder for wild boars, pigs and piglets, you can see an example in the photo. But before making a food container out of a barrel, you should be 100% sure that no toxic substances were stored in it.

Tools

plastic barrel large sizes;
several wooden blocks;
screws;
pencil or marker;
jigsaw;
sanding paper.

Manufacturing

Depending on the size of the barrel, we divide it into several sectors. In our case, three at once.

1. Marking a plastic barrel; 2. Attaching wooden blocks to parts of the barrel

According to the markings, cut the barrel with a jigsaw into three equal parts.
We also cut everything off sharp corners and clean off the burrs with sandpaper.
For the legs, we cut two even bars and fasten them with screws to the side walls of the improvised container. At this point, the homemade feeder is ready.

From a gas cylinder

If you have an old gas cylinder lying around at home, then don’t rush to sell it for scrap. It will make an excellent and durable feeder that will last about 20 years.

Tools and materials

old gas cylinder;
a brush and soap solution to check the remaining gas in the cylinder;
a bucket of water or other container with water (you will need a lot of water);
hacksaw for metal;
Bulgarian;
reinforcement bars;
some metal corners;
gas burner;
welding machine.

Manufacturing

Take the gas cylinder and open the valve completely. If there is a little gas left, wait for it to come out completely. To check, we use a soap solution, which we apply to the outlet hole with a brush. If a bubble does not appear after this, then there is no gas left and you can start working.
Now we turn the cylinder on its side and use a hacksaw to cut off the brass valve cleanly. Here we need an assistant. While you are sawing, someone will need to water the cut area to prevent heat and sparks.

Next, fill the balloon to the top with water through the hole formed. At the same time, the container is constantly shaken to wash away the condensation inside. Then we pour the water and condensate away from the house.
We determine the capacity of the future trough. For example, if you need one feeder for pigs and one for piglets, then we divide the container into two parts, one of which will be smaller and the second larger. If you need a feeder for wild boars and pigs, then simply divide the container in half lengthwise.
When you decide on the dimensions, we cut the balloon with a grinder.
To prevent the pig from climbing into the feeder, reinforcement bars are welded on top.
To finally get rid of the smell of gas, we burn the feeder with a gas burner.
Then we weld the legs from the reinforcement so that the container does not turn over, and this completes the production.

From a piece of pipe

You can also simply make a feeder if you have a piece of asbestos-cement or ceramic pipe. Such materials are also durable, as they do not corrode.

Drawing of a pipe feeder: 1 - ceramic half-pipe; 2 — concrete support; 3 — protective grille; 4 - holders.

Tools and materials

a piece of pipe (its length depends on the number of pigs);
several pieces of boards or cook cement mortar;
reinforcement bars with a diameter of 15 mm;
welding machine;
Bulgarian;
trowel;
saw or jigsaw.

Manufacturing

We take a piece of pipe and saw it lengthwise in the same way as in the case of a gas cylinder. The pipe diameter should be about 220 mm.
It is better to choose a feeder from a pigsty permanent place, since it will not be removable. We prepare a concrete support for it in the right place.
We install the pipe and put plugs at both ends. The plugs can also be made of concrete or made from pieces of boards.
To prevent the pig from getting into the feeder, you need to make a mesh from reinforcement that will be installed above the feeder. At this point, the feeder is ready, and you can examine its design in more detail in the drawing.

What other options exist?

Some simple options We have already examined feeders for pigs in detail. But it should be said that there are quite a lot of variations of such designs. So, for example, you yourself can easily make an automatic feeder for pigs from several galvanized sheets of tin. Then you can use any convenient container for this or make a completely wooden trough. And finally, you yourself can easily come up with your own version of the design for animals based on available means and general recommendations which are given above.

Photo gallery

Design drawing for barrel feeding

Drawing of a bunker feeder

Bunker structure for feeding pigs in a store

Video “DIY pig feeder”

The main requirements include:

type and size of feeder;
sanitary condition.

Other requirements for the pork “table” include:

accessibility for easy cleaning (after each animal meal, the feeder must be washed thoroughly);
protection from foreign organic and inorganic substances getting into food (contrary to what most people think, pigs do not eat everything);
strong fastening (to protect against overturning and contamination of the enclosure);
tightness to prevent food spillage and spillage.

Before you make a pig feeder with your own hands, you should master carpentry skills and calculate a drawing of the future design. There are several basic requirements for any feeders:

availability of food for animals;
tightness;
absence of toxic components;
compliance of materials and consistency of feed.

Artiodactyls have well-developed muscle mass and rarely eat food carefully. The container must stand firmly on the ground. In addition, a do-it-yourself feeder for piglets should be equipped with special thresholds to prevent food from spilling out onto the ground. When the young animals eat food from the stall, they begin to pick up the scattered remains. Also, drinking bowls are often installed near the feeders, so dirt can get into the water.

Sanitary requirements

When choosing the right trough for piglets and adult pigs, you should pay attention to a number of sanitary requirements, which will simplify animal care and prevent the development of health problems in livestock. The main points to pay attention to include:

tightness of the container, which will eliminate feed loss;
freedom of access for animals to food;
simplicity of design, which will ensure the most thorough cleaning of the feeder from food residues;
the presence of special limiters that will prevent manure and dirt from entering food;
stable support that prevents the container from tipping over and, accordingly, additional expense stern;
a small fixed slope, which leads to the accumulation of feed in one of the parts of the feeder, which will ensure that it is more completely eaten by the animals.

One more important requirement The selection of separate feeders for dry and wet food is recommended. Water is also poured into a special container.

Types of pig feeders

The types of feeders for pigs are very diverse and differ not only in the principle of dispensing feed, but also in the age of the animals. For example, for small piglets a small container made from a plastic bucket will be sufficient, but large boars and sows need to install spacious and comfortable models that can accommodate the required amount of feed.

DIY bunker feeders

The bunker type design is considered the most practical. You can make it yourself, using drawings and photos. A hopper (a small box made of wood or metal) is installed in the upper part, into which dry food is poured. The hopper is inserted into a trough made from any available materials (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Drawing and photo of the bunker structure

A wooden limit bar is installed in the front part, which prevents the scattering of feed.

The convenience of this design is that you can pour a lot of food into it at once. It is constantly in the bunker, but some of it is poured into the trough. When the pigs have eaten all the food, a new batch is poured out of the hopper.

Automatic feeders

Automatic models are an improved version of the bunker. Feed is also poured into the top drawer, and dispensed gradually as the food is eaten.

As a rule, automatic models are purchased ready-made. They are equipped with special limiters to prevent animals from scattering food and contaminating it with bedding and manure.

DIY feeders

Making your own pig feeder is very simple. You don't have to choose for this complex design. It is enough to make a small trough from plastic, metal or wood, and install limiting strips along the edges.

But when making homemade containers, you need to carefully select materials (Figure 3):

The finished product must be durable and resistant to corrosion, but at the same time easy to clean and disinfect;
The size must correspond to the age and number of individuals on the farm;
Rebar rods are installed along the edges so that the animals have free access to food, but at the same time they could not turn the container over.

DIY pigs" width="912">Figure 3. Types of homemade feeders

You will find drawings for making and photos of homemade feeders in this article.

Galvanized feeders

A simple elongated trough can be made from galvanized steel. It is better to take sheets with a thickness of at least 0.5 mm so that the finished container has sufficient strength and durability.

The edges of the sheet are folded inward so that the animals do not get hurt while eating, and the legs are screwed at the bottom to stabilize the finished structure.

A galvanized container can be of any shape, the main thing is that its size corresponds to the age of the individuals and their number.

How to make a feeder with your own hands: 3 ways

Before you start making a feeder with your own hands, you need to choose available tools that will help simplify the process. Such means can be: metal, plastic barrels or an old gas cylinder.

Metal feeder

So, let's start preparing a regular bunker (dimensions are designed for 10 large piglets):

We take a square profile pipe (about 12*12 cm), cut it on one side along the edge, open it, we get two “trays”, and in the middle there is a corner (the bunker itself will be attached to this corner).
To prepare the bunker, you will need two thick sheets of metal (length - 60 cm, height - 4 cm, width - approximately 1-1.5 cm), place them on a long edge parallel to each other at a distance of approximately 7 cm and weld the ends using suitable sheets metal (it turns out to be a long rectangle without top and bottom).
The upper part (the so-called cone) needs to be made of 4 sheets of metal: 2 wider for length (to make the length the size of the tray itself) and 2 narrower for width. We weld in such a way that the result is a four-sided conical triangle, with a hollow middle (the volume of food placed should be 3 buckets of dry food, the height of the hopper should be approximately 15 cm).
We weld the top part of the bunker to the bottom (long rectangle).
We connect the hopper and the feeder so that the middle of the bottom of the hopper coincides with the corner of the feeder (for even pouring out of food).
We take ordinary fittings, cut them into equal parts as long as the width of the tray and weld them at the same distance so that only 1 pig can freely insert his nickel into the tray (thereby providing a “plate” for each pet).

Video: making a metal feeder

Important! You should not make bins that are too large: the piglets will not be able to stop and will eat until the food stops spilling out. Overeating is very harmful for your pig.

Plastic barrel feeder

The easiest way would be to make a pork “dinner table” from an ordinary plastic barrel that you no longer need. The main thing is that such a base is environmentally friendly (only harmless natural biological substances should be stored in it).

To prepare such a feeder you need:

Important! It is advisable to make dividing beams so that each pig has its own place and no one else gets into its plate.

Feeder from a gas cylinder

Another, relatively easy method, which requires an old used gas cylinder (for example, propane). It is important to remember that when working with particularly dangerous objects, which include a gas cylinder, you must follow safety rules.

So, after the gas cylinder is found, you should check it: to do this, you need to take a soap solution, lubricate the place where the gas should come out, and open the valve: if there are no soap bubbles, the cylinder is empty.

Important! In order to get rid of the smell of gas, it is necessary to treat the cut cylinder with fire (on a fire or with a burner).

Main types of drinkers

There are several types of drinking bowls for pigs, but they need to be selected so that the water remains clean at all times and the animals can drink freely at any time. Below we will describe the main types of structures that are best suited for use in homestead farming.

Cup

The cup model is a small container with sides along the edges, which is filled with water through a valve or nipple (Figure 5).

The design of this model is very convenient, since animals have constant access to clean water, but at the same time they cannot splash it around. The principle of operation is that water is supplied to the container through a special hose, but does not pour out until the animal presses a special pedal inside.

Figure 5. Using a cup design

Pigs quickly get used to such drinking bowls, and water is used evenly, as it is supplied only when necessary.

Nipple (nipple)

Nipple models can be used to supply water to individuals of various ages. Water is supplied through a rubber hose or plastic pipe, at the end of which a valve with a nipple is installed (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Teat (nipple) structures for adults and piglets

When a pig wants to drink, she simply goes to the nipple, presses her mouth on the nipple, and a portion of water flows out of it. This design is highly hygienic, since drinking water does not become dirty, and the containers themselves only need to be washed occasionally. The only drawback is the high cost of the finished structure, which can only be purchased in the store.

Vacuum

Vacuum drinkers are considered the simplest, and you can easily make them yourself from scrap materials.

In order to make a vacuum design, you need to take a jar or any other container, pour water into it, cover it with a bowl and turn it over. As a result, some of the water will flow into the bowl, and when the pigs drink it, some water will flow out of the can. new portion liquids (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Example of a vacuum drinker

Such models are installed mainly in piglets, since it is difficult to find a large container that can hold enough water for adults. However, vacuum models need to be monitored as they are easily knocked over by animals.

Standard feeder lengths for piglets of different ages

There are standards for calculating the length of a structure and they depend on the age and number of artiodactyls:

For one piglet at the age of two months, you need 15 cm of free space.
Five-month-old young animals require 30 cm of length per individual.
An adult female requires 40 cm of free space, and a male - 60 cm.

The depth of a regular trough should be at least 30 cm for any age of pigs.

Separation of feed supply for animals of different ages

In a large farm, young animals and adults should be fed separately. Eating food together between pigs of all ages can have the following consequences:

adults can trample piglets;
bacteria and harmful insects from older pigs can cause diseases in young animals;
the piglets will not receive the required amount of feed and will be stunted.

To ensure that the young animals eat well, a separate structure is made for them. Separation between animals occurs by adjusting the thresholds and sides: in this way, adults will not be able to reach the piglets’ feed, and young animals will not eat from a common high trough.

To make the feeder last longer, you can adjust the threshold height using hinges. To do this, grooves are made in the side walls of the feeder, and the front sheet of plywood should go down to the floor in front of the racks. To secure the adjustable side at the desired height, you can use self-tapping screws.

Conclusions

Pig feeder can be simple and automatic, individual, group, stationary, mobile.
When creating a container for food, it is necessary to take into account the age of the animals.- young and adult pigs require completely different lengths.
You can easily make a feeder yourself. Most often, plastic barrels are used for these purposes. gas cylinders, long half-pipes and wooden blanks.