feed tracks

[henman]

How off ton do people replace the chain in the feed track mine are nearly 10 years old is that standard. We have started to replace some corners now again.

 

[Frodo]

Mine are 11 and am starting to replace corners. 1 goes then you check the rest and they all need replaced.

same happened with nest mats. Turnaround Flock 5 perfect, flock 6 third replaced by flock 8 they were all new.

what system do you have?

 

[Frodo]

I worry about chain and track. Be hard to sort mid flock.

 

[Fogg]

Chain and track is easy, you just have to keep a stock of spare sparts.

We've some that's 30yrs old and still goping strong. The modern stuff isn't built to last like the old Dutchman stuff was. Not all chain is equal either, the cheap stuff is a false economy.

 

[chickens and wheat]

I have some original track left in my oldest shed 30 years old, not much but there is one lenght left for sure and its sound - it has a clean out slot in an unused position so I know its original

corners can be renovated but the price of the parts often means its easier to put a new one in.

chains have all been replaced in this time, its not so much the wear but the damage from entanglement after a breakdown

I often prefer old chain its so much easier to split and join

this is broilers so many days of the year the chain doesnt run very much until chicks get some size

 

[Fogg]

After Sterling Equipment went bust and had their liquidation auction someone in the business was telling me a story he'd heard about someone who bought a load of corner wheels. "What idiot would want those? They never wear out."

It was me. I was a bit miffed because for about £40 I got centre spindles, curved guides, and just about enough to see me out and keep the next generations going too.

 

[henman]

vencomatic system, I keep corners in stock but this is the first chain i have replaced

 

[Frodo]

After Sterling Equipment went bust and had their liquidation auction someone in the business was telling me a story he'd heard about someone who bought a load of corner wheels. "What idiot would want those? They never wear out."

It was me. I was a bit miffed because for about £40 I got centre spindles, curved guides, and just about enough to see me out and keep the next generations going too.

It’s the base of the corners I find wear out and start leaking feed, You seem to be able to get spare internal parts, but not the actual box. I think they cost £46, so probably as well just changing the entire unit anyway.

 

[Frodo]

vencomatic system, I keep corners in stock but this is the first chain i have replaced

Same here.

 

[R J]

I have 4 big dutchman feed track motors with the drive units for sale ,
5 years old , I'll get some pictures if anyone is interested

 

[Chickenfarmer]

I have a big Dutchman system from 2007 and occasionally the chain will snap. I haven’t seen a shear pin break for about 5 or 6 years it’s always the knuckle that breaks off, sometimes it can get in a right state if it wraps around the drive.
Is this early signs that my chain is coming to the end or are there some wearing parts on corners I should be replacing?

 

[chickens and wheat]

Could be a worn guide or bush
Or a swollen track coupler causing a raised edge

Or a worn power shoe

 

[Frodo]

I have a big Dutchman system from 2007 and occasionally the chain will snap. I haven’t seen a shear pin break for about 5 or 6 years it’s always the knuckle that breaks off, sometimes it can get in a right state if it wraps around the drive.
Is this early signs that my chain is coming to the end or are there some wearing parts on corners I should be replacing?

Does the shear pin not snap when it wraps up?

 

[Fogg]

The shear pin snaps after the chain, normally after the chain has wrapped itself around the drive shaft a time or two.

Normally if I look at where the chain's broken one side's shiny the other side's rusty, which means it was a weak link half broken already.

Anyone else notice that they only seem to break on Sundays and bank holidays? This was one Christmas morning...

 

[Frodo]

The shear pin snaps after the chain, normally after the chain has wrapped itself around the drive shaft a time or two.

Normally if I look at where the chain's broken one side's shiny the other side's rusty, which means it was a weak link half broken already.

Anyone else notice that they only seem to break on Sundays and bank holidays? This was one Christmas morning...

That’s what I would expect and they definitely have a time clock, remarkably well synchronised. I guess you learn to muddle through.

 

[Chickenfarmer]

Does the shear pin not snap when it wraps up?

No, 90% of the time it breaks the chain in two, and doesn’t do any further damage. 10% of the time it will break, and then wraps itself around the sprocket until the shear pin finally gives in, by with point it’s a grinding job to open it up and then unwrap the chain and then weld it back up. Not handy

 

[Fogg]

You want Dalton drives like I've got... Just undo that bolt, knock the shaft back, lift the drive cog out of the way.

 

[chickens and wheat]

Single drives are great, all mine are double troubles

 

[Fogg]

They do do a double drive that works on the same principle.

Twin Track Flat Chain Feeder Drive Unit, Single Phase, 12m per minute — Dalton Engineering

Maximum 200m of Feed Chain CircuitTwin Track, Single Phase, direct drive unit, 12m (39ft) per minute.Our FT range of lightweight chain feeder drive units follow the design features of our DX rangeAluminium motor and gearbox for reduced weight Standard of the shelf metric frame motors, D90, B5...

www.daltonengineering.co.uk