Aussie Finch Forum

Was thinking of trying to construct an individual seeds hopper along the following lines:- What thoughts or potential problems can anyone see with this idea please? Naturally I would scale it down to suit!

I would be worried about a build up of husks? as I think most fowl have pellets of sorts...

garymc wrote:Was thinking of trying to construct an individual seeds hopper along the following lines:-

seed_hopper.jpg

What thoughts or potential problems can anyone see with this idea please? Naturally I would scale it down to suit!

G'day Gary, I suppose you would scale it down 50mm or even less so long as you can get the bends and caps.I can't make out whether the chook food is seed/pellets or chick starter (mash).
I just wondering if clean/shiny finch seed would self feed it's self and eventually empty its self and it could become very messy.You would have to experiment with heights to see how much weight/presser from seed to stop self feeding etc.
It does look like a brilliant idea for those chooks though Craig

Aswell as husks on that particular set up, birds pooping from the top of the fitting into the seed.

Could you try a 90 degree elbow( or with a short run of pvc) and under cut the base so it has a roof over the seed.You would then need a cap end or home made one at the end to stop the seed from coming out.I would imagine this would need de husking a few times a week perhaps. A rectangle fitting on the end may also give the seed area more square cms ?

I have never tried these but have looked at them before with the same thoughts.

Would be a bit fiddly, and probably not really necessary but a clear insert of some sort near the outlet would give some visual indication of when they need topping up.
If you wanted to get real fancy the design could incorporate some bends that would allow filling from outside the aviary. You can buy fittings that have a more gradual bend.

This works for me,the husks and spilled seed falls through the wire into a drawer that I then winnow and use that seed for my soaked and sprouted seed.
Jack

My memory says that if you look at past posts from JustDeb she had something like this for some of her birds. And cutting it down would be relavent to the number of birds. Or you could use a row of them like the chooks have for different seeds.
LML

i like the look of your hopper setup Branchez
you can monitor when to refill and see what seed they prefer to eat.
does husk buildup stop new seed coming out? maybe the birds landing and leaving blow them into the tray?

gomer, it seems a small area for a finch to "hit" with droppings in the chook model so i thought it not so important.
Branchez's fancy one has a bigger seed zone though, that may be a "target".
garymc i too would worry about blockages....if it works then good luck to you for having a go.

if i could only find a way to stop mine crapping in the water dishes i'd be a happy camper....

Putting lids about 30cm above the water dishes and the auto watering spouts between the lid and dish helps somewhat.
LML

thanks finchbreeder....
i find that after drinking they turn and "lighten the load" before liftoff!!
by the size/volume of some of them it would help greatly with takeoff.
sorry to pinch the post topic