Chicken shed build thread

Daniel

Member
Just raking up this old thread to show the next stage of development, which is to turn a 12 metre by 18 metre grainstore bay into a semi automated feed mill, using 2nd hand equipment we were fortunate to pick up, plus a couple of new storage silos.

It's been a slow project, back in October we started preparing the ground for the soya and limestone bins.
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Then laid and powerfloated the bin and elevator bases.

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Then laid a pad for the lorry to park on.
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The mill will be in the left hand 2 bays of the shed.
 

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Daniel

Member
The elevator will feed the Soya and Limestone through the wall into this hopper which sits on weigh cells.
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These are the bins before they were dismantled for transport to our farm, the 2nd one will hold wheat.
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So the bins will be loaded with the correct.amount of ingredients, the first bin automatically with soya, limestone and minerals, the 2nd bin with wheat from a telehandler.

These will then feed this tractor power mill/mixer:
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The Soya etc will feed into this intake at the back:
20190708_094628.jpg


And the wheat into this hammer mill at the front:
20190708_093903.jpg
 

Daniel

Member
Whats pay back period on all that investment?
How much is a dozen eggs ?
Amazed at your investment, when I know of two large Egg producers whom have called it a day.

I'm costing the kit over 10 years, it's a big risk, but we've been sending wheat out in one lorry to the mill and buying feed back from another mill in another lorry. In my view there isn't enough profit in the job to pay the haulage both ways.

I could, of course, be making a huge mistake.
 

Daniel

Member
What’s the big driver for this project is it cost saving and using your own grown corn or is it making a ration to suit your exact requirements and convenience

All the above plus i'm sad enough to be excited by the idea of working towards an entirely home grown ration. Who knows, maybe even Greta Thunberg will approve of the low food miles?
 

teslacoils

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
It does make sense. My wheat currently leaves for Flixborough, to be turned into chicken food I think, but we can't backload (no blowers) back to my brother's hens.

Suppose the risk is that you are conflicted in wanting to sell the wheat at the highest price, and also buy wheat at the lowest price.
 

Pan mixer

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Near Colchester
It does make sense. My wheat currently leaves for Flixborough, to be turned into chicken food I think, but we can't backload (no blowers) back to my brother's hens.

Suppose the risk is that you are conflicted in wanting to sell the wheat at the highest price, and also buy wheat at the lowest price.
I get a great deal of satisfaction from growing the wheat that I mill, I am not self sufficient though and still need to buy some in. I try to do this when the price of wheat is on the floor - the trick is knowing when that moment is happening.

I applaud the idea of on farm mill and mixing, it has kept us going with our pigs through the bad years particularly.
 

Netherfield

Member
Location
West Yorkshire
Here's a classic mix for you for layers from the 60/70s

600 kgs Maize
150 kgs Wheat
100 kgs Fish Meal
50 kgs Meat and Bone meal or Soya Bean meal according to price
62.5 kgs Limestone
25 kgs Dried grass meal
12.5 kgs Vitamin and minerals mix.
 

Daniel

Member
Here's a classic mix for you for layers from the 60/70s

600 kgs Maize
150 kgs Wheat
100 kgs Fish Meal
50 kgs Meat and Bone meal or Soya Bean meal according to price
62.5 kgs Limestone
25 kgs Dried grass meal
12.5 kgs Vitamin and minerals mix.

People would get stroppy if you put bonemeal in these days, though to my mind it makes more sense than imported soya.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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