Millomite Posted February 6, 2008 Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 What hoppers do you use and where do you get them from? We use the blue barrel type but I'm struggling to find anywhere online with them any cheaper than £6 plus delivery. As we're looking at getting about 20 more, a cheapish place would be good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markm Posted February 6, 2008 Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 We get 25 gallon ones from a company who clean factories. They go in and blitz factories that close down for a weekend for example, their cleaning fluids and powders come in the containers and if we don't take them away they have to pay to get rid of them. Look in the yellow pages and give similar companies a ring. Also try fruit / preserved food importers direct, you might hit lucky. Never paid for a barrel yet. Oh just remembered car part manufacturers often have them as well (oil, degresants etc etc). We hit lucky and got big plastic containers which take 15 bags of wheat for stortage and they are only waste high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretboy111 Posted February 6, 2008 Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 You can really use anything that holds wheat in, i have blue barrel feeders, old drums, metal smaller drums, buckets, anything you can get a hold of which is a nice size. I have been getting my big blue barrels from farmer friends who use manganese, its what they come in. But still id say £6 for a barrel is really cheap. I have 22 feeders on my shoot of 750 acres, and any more would be stupid. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted February 6, 2008 Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 Alex I'm sure that you will have told us previously; but how many birds did you put down? webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretboy111 Posted February 8, 2008 Report Share Posted February 8, 2008 We put down 160 last season, and 450 this coming. I believe that feeding, predator control and habitat management are key. I know a few places which feed too heavily, thus making the birds fill their crop and wander off the estate all day. I dont think ill need anymore feeders, well i think the farmer hopes not as price of wheat! Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted February 8, 2008 Report Share Posted February 8, 2008 Alex I have never been a keeper, but recall reading a few years ago that you require one feeder per 10 to 15 birds. So based on that I calculate that you certainly had enough feeders for last seasons birds, but you may need to consider quite a few more to cope with the coming seasons birds. I have enjoyed your posts about your shoot, and trust that it will go from strength to strength. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretboy111 Posted February 8, 2008 Report Share Posted February 8, 2008 Thanks, thats good to know, it will be an interesting year on my shoot with the massive increase and diveristy of also releasing, partridges and mallard. At the moment im on VERMIN control, making larsen traps, setting fenn trap sites and putting out poison for rats, along with making my rearing sheds, keeping hoppers full and improving the habitat of each section of the shoot. I shall keep everyone posted on my progress. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisNicholls Posted February 8, 2008 Report Share Posted February 8, 2008 Don't even think about releasing 450 poults with just 22 feeders. Webber is right, about 1 to 10 or if they are in short supply 1 to 15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretboy111 Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 Yeah its all trial and error, ive been too plenty of shoots that do well with around 20 feeders and release 1000's, think it depends on natural food sources, hopper combined with hand feeding etc (Which i do) anyway, plenty of time to think about if i need any more feeders. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 (edited) Remember it also comes down to availability of Water, and cover crops to provide food as well as shelter, feeding from pens down hedgerows to cover crops with water and feeders sited, make it so much easier as well. SS Should have stated that the covercrops, habitat management is so much more vital if you are intending on getting a good breeding stock going, british weather dependant Edited February 10, 2008 by Suffolk shooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretboy111 Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millomite Posted February 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 Yeah I've been told a minimum of 20-1, 10-1 is best by a keeper up here. Last year we had 51 feeders out for 400 birds, but not all of them were being topped up as we didnt require them. This year we're getting 500 birds and will have about 60 feeders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quickshot Posted February 16, 2008 Report Share Posted February 16, 2008 If I Remember Rightly We Use About 2 or 3 Hoppers Per Acre Of Cover. This is a Partridge shoot releasing about 12,000 birds, however even on the other pheasant shoot of about 1250 birds it is still the same. The only difference is the partridge shoot is slightly bigger and have to feed everyday. QS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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