Bleach or vinegar in water?

[smileygreen64]

I have been told you can put bleach or Apple cider vinegar in chickens water to clean and sanitize. I read the ACV is good for worm prevention as well. Does the bleach do anything for the chickens, or is it just to help keep the water clean?

What about amounts? I use a 55 gallon drum set 8 foot high to gravity feed all my water lines. How much would you add to 55 gallons?

I do have another concern. There is 1/2 inch PVC line that comes from the barrel, through the coops, goes underground then back out again at my water trough for the goats. I use the red drinker cups with the yellow toggle that lets the water out. Those use springs on the toggles. Would bleach or vinegar hurt the springs as far as corrosion is concerned?

I am not so much worried about algae. Nothing in the system is clear to allow sunlight to cause algae growth. I have hard water though and I don't want any mineral build up to cause problems. I honestly don't know if it is even an issue because I can't take it apart to look, but I figured a little maintenance would hurt. I obviously can't use commercial drain cleaners. That would definitely not be good. Any advice, or would you just leave it alone?

 

[Zinjifrah]

I've read 4 tablespoons per gallon for ACV... I've never heard of putting bleach in any animal's drinking water, though, and would be extremely wary of doing so for fear of poisoning them. If you use ACV, the beneficial bacteria are what you want for good gut health, and the bottle will say it has the 'MOTHER' in it if it has them. A little ACV in your own drinking water can help your body absorb the water faster, to my understanding, so I'm sure it has a similar effect for chickens if that's true. I add ACV to the water I give my chicks as a standard action.

 

[Isaiah53]

If you're in the USA, you can order Oxine AH. It is a sanitizer and can also be used in drinking water (human or animal) It is used by farms for many situations. It kills pathogens, viruses and bacteria. I purchased some from a Vet supply store in Iowa for $20 gallon. Very little is needed and will last a very long time. You will also need citric acid to activate the oxine. Oxine is similar to bleach but has better efficacy.

https://www.shagbarkbantams.com/the-many-uses-of-oxine-ah-animal-health/

https://www.bestvetsolutions.com/shop/water-sanitizers-41/oxine-ah-disinfectant

 

[smileygreen64]

If you're in the USA, you can order Oxine AH. It is a sanitizer and can also be used in drinking water (human or animal) It is used by farms for many situations. It kills pathogens, viruses and bacteria. I purchased some from a Vet supply store in Iowa for $20 gallon. Very little is needed and will last a very long time. You will also need citric acid to activate the oxine. Oxine is similar to bleach but has better efficacy.

https://www.shagbarkbantams.com/the-many-uses-of-oxine-ah-animal-health/

https://www.bestvetsolutions.com/shop/water-sanitizers-41/oxine-ah-disinfectant

How do you use it yourself? I read the link you sent and it said to not activate it with the citric acid.

 

[ChickMom6002]

uh imagine drinking watery bleach, its gonna kill you, so if you love your chickens then dont give them bleach.

 

[Alaskan]

uh imagine drinking watery bleach, its gonna kill you, so if you love your chickens then dont give them bleach.

most city and town water supplies use bleach ... for all of us humans to drink

 

[smileygreen64]

uh imagine drinking watery bleach, its gonna kill you, so if you love your chickens then dont give them bleach.

I am open to other suggestions. I don't believe it will kill me though. There is chlorine in water that I drink because I have municipal water at my house. I have worked in commercial broiler houses where I know they put household bleach in the water to disinfect the water lines. It's all dependant on the concentrations. That's what I am trying to clarify. I won't be doing keeping it in there all the time. I just want to be sure I am not growing any type of bacteria inside a waterline that WILL harm my chickens. I just used vinegar and bleach as suggestions because those are the two I have heard of using. There are threads on this site about it. I don't worry about the goats because my dad puts a splash of bleach in the water tubs for his goats to keep the algae away. They are some of the healthiest goats I have ever seen.

 

[Alaskan]

the question I see... is how to properly clean the parts you can't get to.

I don't use bleach or vinegar. I just dump out and refill, and when they start to get too much mud in them etc I rinse them out, rub out the goo with my hand. But... I use water tubs, so there is no hidden scary nasty.

I do super clean feeders and waterers for chicks... but those I do in the sink.

 

[smileygreen64]

the question I see... is how to properly clean the parts you can't get to.

I don't use bleach or vinegar. I just dump out and refill, and when they start to get too much mud in them etc I rinse them out, rub out the goo with my hand. But... I use water tubs, so there is no hidden scary nasty.

I do super clean feeders and waterers for chicks... but those I do in the sink.

That's a much better way of posing the question. Thank you! What may or may not be hiding inside the line is my concern.

 

[smileygreen64]

I might have thought of my own solution. I could just take the drinker cups off so the chickens wouldn't have access to the water, and then run a bleach solution through the line followed by a rinse. After rinsing I could put the cups back on, and if any bleach was left over it would be diluted to a point that it wouldn't cause any ill effects.

I am still open to any suggestions on things I could add to the water though if you have any ideas.