GB2195521A - A water supply apparatus for caged birds - Google Patents

Abstract

A water supply for caged birds includes a water outlet (6) actuated by the birds for drinking purposes. A channel (9), preferably V-shaped, below the outlet (6) serves to catch spillage adjacent to the outlet (6) and the upper marginal edges (10) of the channel (9) form a barrier to one side of the water outlet (6) for a bird to approach the outlet with its neck substantially horizontal or inclined downwardly. This reduction of spillage avoids wetting of the birds' manure, thus increasing its value as a fertiliser. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A water supply apparatus This invention relates to water supply apparatus for caged birds and in particular fowls.

Fowl manure in compressed pelletised form has been found to be a particularly useful fertiliser for both domestic and commercial applications. Most known pelletisation processes require the moisture content of the manure to be in the vicinity of 12% by weight. However, the manure collected from below the openbottomed cages of caged fowls, which is a major source of manure for pelletisation, has a moisture content that is typically in the range 75 to 80% by weight. It has therefore been necessary to dry the manure prior to pelletisation. Drying not only adds significantly to production costs but also can be a source of air pollution and potential explosion due to release of gases during drying, particularly in the case of kiln drying.

This invention proceeds from the realisation that manure accumulating below caged fowls is maintained at its initial moisture content (typically around 75 to 80%) and prevented from drying by water spilt while the birds are drinking. In particular it was recognised that when a bird drinks from a bird-actuated water outlet, the arrangement of the outlets is often such that the bird's neck is inclined upwardly.

Spilt water therefore runs down the bird's neck and drips into manure below. Some known drinking arrangements provide a trough or the like immediately below the water outlet, but these catch only water that drips directly from the outlet and not water that runs. down the neck of the bird.

The present invention is based on the discovery that this spillage can be reduced or even substantially eliminated if a barrier is positioned to the side of the water outlet to force the bird to approach the outlet with its neck substantially horizontal or inclined downwardly. In practice this is achieved by the bird's being forced to turn its head to one side to approach the outlet.

This invention provides a water-supply apparatus for caged birds comprising a water outlet actuable by the birds for drinking purposes; a trough positioned below the water outlet to catch spillage adjacent to the outlet; and a barrier to one side of the water outlet to force the caged bird to approach the outlet with its neck substantially horizontal or inclined downwardly.

By forcing the birds to approach the water outlet with their necks substantially horizontal or inclined downwardly, any spilled water tends to drip into the trough rather than running down the bird's neck and dropping into the manure.

For preference, the barrier is at or above the level of the water outlet although in practice it has been found that as long as the barrier is less than 3.0 to 2.5 cm below the outlet the birds are forced to approach the outlet with their necks sufficiently close to horizontal to achieve the desired result.

Also for preference the trough and barrier are formed by a channel member whose upper marginal edges form the barrier means and whose lower portion within the channel the trough means. The channel can be of any suitable cross-sectional shape and is preferably inclined to drain spilled water away.

One embodiment of this invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a part end view of two adjacent fowl cages with a water supply apparatus according to this invention located between them; Figure 2 is a part side view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1; and Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a fowl drinking.

As seen in the drawings fowls 1 and 2 are housed in adjacent cages 3, 4 which respectively taper downwardly to form a common wall 5.

The water supply apparatus comprises a water outlet actuated by the fowls in the form of a drinking nipple 6 of known type fitted to a pressurised water supply pipe 7. The supply pipe 7 is supported by brackets 8. Nipples 6 are positioned at suitable intervals along supply pipe 7. A V-shaped trough 9 extends below the nipples 6 to catch spillage from or adjacent to the nipple. As best seen from Fig.

3 the upper marginal edge 10 of the trough 9 forms a barrier at the level of the nipples, .which forces the fowls to approach the nipples with their necks substantially horizontal or inclined downwardly. In this way spilled water drips into trough 9 and does not tend to run down the bird's neck. The trough 9 is inclined to drain the spilled water to a suitable discharge pipe or like.

The V-shaped trough 9 is preferably formed with an included angle of approximately 90" and a distance of greater than 10 cm, particularly about 12.5 cm, across the open top. It will be apparent however, that a trough of any suitable cross-sectional shape can be used.

In addition, it is not essential that the trough and barrier be integrally formed. A suitable barrier, such as a rail for example, can be positioned above a shallow trough.

It will also be apparent that this invention is not limited to water outlets of the nipple type.

In this regard the invention has been found to be successful when used with other water outlets including those known as watering cups which contain a plate depressed by the bird to actuate a water supply valve.

Tests conducted on manure collected from below cages equipped with water supply apparatus according to this invention have shown at least a 50% reduction in moisture content over manure collected below cages with conventional water supply systems. This reduced moisture content, around 35 to 40%, makes it possible to pelletise.the manure with only minor further drying. In addition the drier condition of the accumulating manure reduces the offensive odour, flies and maggots normally associated with caged birds. Further the drier condition reduces significantly the loss of ammonia and hence further value.

In addition to the reasons advanced above it has been observed that because the barrier makes access to the water outlet more difficult the instance of birds "playing" with water outlets and thereby spilling further water is reduced. It is considered that this can play a significant part in achieving the improvements detailed above.

Claims (7)

1. A water-supply apparatus for caged birds comprising a water outlet actuable by the birds for drinking purposes; a trough positioned below the water outlet to catch spillage adjacent to the outlet; and a barrier to one side of the water outlet to force the caged bird to approach the outlet with its neck substantially horizontal or inclined downwardly.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 in which the trough and barrier are formed by a channel member, the upper marginal edges forming the barrier and the lower portion within the channel forming the trough.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2 in which the -upper marginal edge is disposed less than 3.0 cm below the outlet. -

4. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 in which the channel is inclined in order to drain spilled water away.

5. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 in which the trough has a Vshaped cross-section.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5 in which the V-shaped trough has an included angle of approximately 90" and a width across the top of from 10 cm to 12.5 cm.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.