Commonly used drinking fountains in chicken farms are divided into nipple type, cup type, trough type, pendant type, vacuum type and other drinking fountains.
(1) Nipple drinker Nipple drinker is the most commonly used drinker in chicken farms. It consists of a nipple, a hose, a pressure valve or a tank, and can also be equipped with a dosing device. The nipple is composed of a valve body, a spool, and a seat. The seat and spool are made of stainless steel, which is installed in the valve body and maintains a certain clearance, and the capillary tube is used to keep a water drop at the bottom of the spool, and the seat is opened to let the water flow out when the chicken pecks the water droplet. The nipple drinker can be used for flat and cage rearing and can also be equipped with a water cup. Save water, clean and hygienic, you can eliminate the cleaning work, only need to clean the filter and water tank regularly, save labor and be durable. However, the requirements for materials and manufacturing accuracy are high, and the low-quality nipple drinker is easy to leak.
There are two kinds of nipple drinkers for chicks and adults, the diameter of the valve core end for chicks is 2 mm, the length of the valve body is 2.5 mm, and the water supply pressure is 14.7 ~ 24.kPa: the diameter of adult chickens is 2.5 mm, the length of the extension is 3 mm, and the water supply pressure is 24.5 ~ 34.5 kPa.
(2) Cup drinking water equipment cup drinking water equipment is divided into two types: valve handle type and floating nozzle type. When the chicken drinks water, the cup is pecked under the tongue, and the water flows into the cup, so as to achieve the purpose of automatic water supply. When the beak of the chicken leaves the tongue of the cup and no longer drinks water, the water pressure returns the parts to their original position, so that the water no longer flows into the cup. Cup drinking water equipment is suitable for flat chicken coops and also for cage chicken coops. Both adults and chicks can be used, but the cups should be cleaned regularly, the deposited feed should be removed, the feed should be prevented from mildew and water pollution, and a good water supply system should be provided.
(3) Sink type drinking water equipment The characteristics of tank type drinking water equipment are simple equipment, low investment and quick results. But the disadvantage is that it is easy to leak, the installation requirements are high, to ensure that the height error of the trough within the length of dozens of meters of the whole row of chicken cages is less than 5 mm, and the error is large and can not ensure the normal water supply, and at the same time pay attention to the brushing and hygiene, often brush, and remove the feed deposited in the interior to ensure that the water quality is clean.
(4) Hanging tower drinking water equipment is mainly used for flat chicken coops, which can automatically maintain a certain amount of water in the drinking tray. The drinking fountain is hung on the ceiling by a rope or hose, and the height of the drinking fountain can be adjusted according to the requirements, and the water inlet hole at the top is connected with the main water pipe with a hose, and the incoming water flows into the drinking tray through the control valve for the chickens to drink. When hanging the drinker, the notch plane of the annular groove of the water pan should be the same height as the back of the chicken. Each pendant drinker with a diameter of 40 cm can drink water for 70~100 broilers.
(5) The vacuum drinking water equipment uses the principle of water pressure sealing vacuum to maintain a certain water level in the drinking tray, and most of the water is stored in the cavity of the drinking fountain. After the chicken drinks water, the water level decreases, and the water in the drinker can flow out on its own to replenish. There is a water filling hole under the bottom of the drinker plate, unscrew the cover when filling the water, and turn it over after filling the water, and the water will flow out from the small hole on the side of the bucket on the plate until the small hole is submerged. The chicken runs as much water as it drinks, keeping the level stable until the water runs out. The water capacity is 2.5 kg, suitable for 0 ~ 4 weeks old chicks, can be used for 15 ~ 20 chickens at the same time, and its characteristic is that the chicks are not easy to enter the drinking tray; the water capacity is 4 ~ 8 kg, suitable for broiler chickens and adult chickens in the late growth stage, can be used for 15 ~ 30 chickens at the same time, and its characteristics are that it can be used flat and hanging. The vacuum drinker is a simple drinking fountain operated manually, which is not suitable for use when drinking a large amount of water, and in addition, it has a large amount of cleaning work every day.