754 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Dec, 1918. 



AUTOMATIC FEEDERS FOR PIGS. 



R. T. Archer, Senior Dairy Inspector. 



The illustrations on the next page show two self-feeders 

 for pigs. The feeder is 30 inches long, 24 inches wide, and 

 26 inches from the peak of the roof to the ground. One-incli hardwood 

 boards should be used, except for two sleepers of jarrah, 2 by 4 inches, 

 placed beneath to prevent the feeder being upset, and to keep it off the 

 ground. Ends, sides, floor, and roof can be made separately and pieced 

 together. Each roof slope is 36 inches by 18 inches. For a slope 

 three 6-in. by 1-in. boards 3 feet long are held together by nailing 2-in 

 by 1-in. strips 18 inches long across each end. The ends are 24 inches 

 wide, 16 inches high at each side, and 24 inches high at the peak. Take 

 6-in. by 1-in. boards 2 feet long, nail a 2-ft. strip 2 inches by 1 inch 

 2 feet long, nail a 2-ft. strip 2 inches by 1 inch across one end, and 

 another across the boards 16 inches higher. Measure 24 inches in the 

 middle and 16 inches on each side from the end with the strip. Draw 

 a line from the 16-in. mark on each side to the 24-in. mark in the middle, 

 and saw along these lines to make the ends the proper shape. The sides 

 are 30 inches long and 16 inches high. For each side take four 4-in, by 

 1-in. hardwood 30 inches long and nail a 2-in. by 1-in. strip across each 

 end. The floor is 24 inches wide and 30 inches long, and may be made by 

 nailing four 6-in. by 1-in. boards, or six 4-in. by 1-in. boards 30 inches 

 long to the 4-in. by 2-in. sleepers. These sleepers should be at the ends, 

 so that the ends of the feeder may be nailed to them, and they should 

 project 9 inches on each side. When everything is ready to be put 

 together except the peak in the floor and the sides of the troughs, put the 

 floor peak in. This is 30 inches long, and is made by nailing together 

 4-in. by 1-in. and 3-in. by 1-in. boards, trimming the edges to meet the 

 floor, and nailing to the floor with each edge 9 inches from the sides. 

 This will put the peak in the middle. Then attach both ends, running 

 the lower end an inch below the flooring, and nailing to the sleepers 

 flooring and peak. N^ext nail the sides between the ends, standing them 

 in from the upper outer edge of the ends towards the middle of the floor, 

 thus leaving a space between the sides of the floor and floor peak for 

 the mixture to feed through. JSTail 4-in. by 1-in. boards 30 inches long 

 to the floor and ends, planing the lower edges to fit the floor, for the 

 sides of the trough. The roof, which should be covered with some 

 waterproof material, is put on last. After the edges have been planed 

 to fit properly at the peak, one slope is nailed down, and the other is 

 hinged to it. 



Of course, the feeder may be made longer than specified above, and 

 otherwise altered to suit circumstances. 



Another cheap and convenient form of automatic feeder is a barrel 

 as shoAvn on page 756. The illustration does not require much explana- 

 tion. The outlet holes may be made on foiu- sides, and the size varied 

 according to requirements. The pyramid or cone causes the grain to 

 run out more freely and completely. Three-inch by 2-inch hardwood 

 boards might be nailed to the platform a foot or so away from the 

 barrel, so as to prevent the food spreading too much. 



