The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: SallyintNorth on June 08, 2018, 12:05:03 am
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I've said I'll research options for pig drinkers for our outdoor pens.
First stop - TAS!
What do you all use and what are the pros and cons?
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We use an automatic drinker fed by a big tank that we fill with a hose. All pipes to the drinker need to be well protected otherwise the pigs eat them but some stout woodwork around the pipes hasn't failed us.
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What automatic drinker is it, Sally?
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We've got one of these:
http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/mvf/store/products/general-galvanised-water-trough-14l (http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/mvf/store/products/general-galvanised-water-trough-14l)
Connected to MDPE pipe that connects to a tank that fills off a spring. It isn't huge but is big enough for three 5-month old Tamworths to get their snouts in. I put a post either side with a cross piece to reduce the chance of them flipping it over and dug in the pipe. The whole thing backs on the electric fence so they can't get round the sides to dig at the pipe. No problems at all so far.
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Thanks both.
Does anyone use, or have used in the past, the nipple-type drinkers?
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We use the same 14l drinkers for our sows and the big 120L black plastic cow drinkers for our grower pens.
We also use the smaller 2.5l metal drinkers for our micropigs. All pipework is run underground to point of use here.
My step-dad had lots of nipple drinkers on his farm but that was mostly brick sties, i worry about using them in the wide open and also less useful during a freeze, once frozen you're stuffed. At least with one of the above drinkers you've got something to manually fill if you need to.
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What automatic drinker is it, Sally?
Its one like this
https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/392004614492?chn=ps&adgroupid=59254216728&rlsatarget=pla-432963219555&abcId=1134056&adtype=pla&merchantid=114924757&poi=&googleloc=9045409&device=c&campaignid=1340839189&crdt=0 (https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/392004614492?chn=ps&adgroupid=59254216728&rlsatarget=pla-432963219555&abcId=1134056&adtype=pla&merchantid=114924757&poi=&googleloc=9045409&device=c&campaignid=1340839189&crdt=0)
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I really struggle with the galvanised ones Bionic is using with leaks. I found the nipple feeder a better as mentioned with no water reservoir there is always a concern if the supply is frozen/ interrupted. So I have also now installed a plastic trough protected by large wooden posts.
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We don't keep pigs over winter, so the plan would be to drain the system down when the pigs go, so shouldn't be at risk of freezing in the winter.
The small bowl troughs are an interesting idea, with the added bonus they'd work for sheep. (Although they'd probably get damaged by cattle and ponies ::))
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With my Berkshires I have occasionally been concerned that if you introduce them to the nipple feeders as adults their mouth geometry makes it hard for them to get the hang of the small bowls
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I don't keep pigs over winter so haven't encountered the problem