5
DIRECTIONS FOR OPERATING THE SYSTEM
DENSITY
Number of birds per cup
(Depends on the kind of animal and the climate.)
Climate
Normal
Warm
Broilers
60
35
Breeders
35
25
Commercial layers
40
30
Turkeys up to 6 weeks
60
35
Turkeys up to 13kg
40
30
Heavy turkeys
>
13kg
25
20
Ducks
40
30
BEFORE STARTING UP AND AFTER EACH FLOCK
--
Thoroughly flush the lines one after another. When flushing a line, keep other lines shut--off.
--
Have lines under water pressure for a while and make sure that all valves close completely. If this is not the case, move the
leaking valve to--and--fro until the valve shuts--off again. If not replace valve.
--
Check the water pressure and the water supply.
AFTER LITTERING
--
Put the float balls on the valves (only for day--old chicks).
--
Lower the lines into the litter (level). On places with a risk for perching (e.g. around heating sources) you can install an
antiperch bridge.
--
Have lines under water pressure (about 0,2 -- 0,3 bar). Cups will be filled up to about 5 -- 10 mm beneath the edge.
TIP: It is very important to have birds equally spread over the whole house. You can i.e. put some paper underneath the drinking
lines with some feed on.
DURING THE GROWING PERIOD
1. Adjust water pressure at about 0,3 -- 0,5 bar upon arrival of the birds. This pressure will allow float balls to adjust water
level in the cups.
2. After 6 days, increase pressure to about 0,4 bar. Now the birds will learn how to operate the float balls and get used to the
higher resistance of the valve and to the lower water level.
3. After 4 -- 5 days, slightly winch up the lines (about 1 -- 2 cm) to keep cups free from litter.
4. Between the 8th and 10th day, you remove the float balls (always pro complete line). You can either remove them all at once or
half of the number of lines the first day, and the other half the second day. Lower the pressure a little up to approx. 0,2 -- 0,3 bar.
The water level is then gradually lowered until there is about 0,5 cm of water in the cup.
Removing the float balls too soon: birds will not get enough water.
Removing them too late: birds will spill water and the habituation after removing the float balls will be more difficult.
5. During the next days and weeks, gradually increase water pressure to 0,7 bar after 4 weeks, making sure that there is always
little water in the cups. Cups will clean themselves. Regularly check water level (about 0,5 cm) in a number of cups. For most
animals the normal water level is about 0,5 -- 1 cm. For turkeys this is about 1,5 -- 3 cm. Don’t set pressure too high: birds could
have difficulty in operating the valves. Check water consumption on the water meter.
6. Thoroughly flush the lines after each medication or vaccination during the flock.
7. From week 4 to the end of the growing period, the water pressure is kept on 0,6 -- 0,7 bar.
8. During the growing period, regularly winch up the lines so that during the first 4 weeks the top of the cup is at the same height
as the back of the birds. After 4 weeks, winch up lines somewhat more so that the cup edge comes about 3cm above the back
of the birds.
REMARK: ALWAYS GRADUALLY ADJUST WATER PRESSURE AND HEIGHT OF LINES!
ATTENTION: ALWAYS KEEP HOUSE FROST--PROOF! ROXELL NV DOES NOT TAKE RESPONSIBIL-
ITY FOR DEFECTIVE CUPS OR SYSTEM IN FROSTY WEATHER.
