How best to keep water clean?

[nxd10]

Any suggestions for a good system for keeping water clean in the loft?

I currently have a cat water station (jug that replenishes a bowl). For the winter I have a heated dog bowl. My chicken waterer has not worked because it fills with shavings and droppings.

All work fine, but they are a pain to keep clean. I have a hose that goes to the loft and an outside birdbath in their wire pigeon porch that is usually filled with clean rainwater or the hose. But I still feel their indoor water isn't as clean as I'd like and I have a hard time cleaning/moving bowls of water - especially in the winter.

Suggestions? Pictures?

 

[xmonster0]

go back to the chicken waterer and get something to put it on that will raise it off the ground 6 inches or so then the water will stay clean

we use round tupper ware lids

 

[fowlsessed]

You need something that doesn't allow them to take baths in their dish, because they certainly will if they can, something only big enough for their head/beak. Make sure it's deep enough so they can submerge their whole beak in it, too. Add an ounce or half an ounce, depending on the concentration, of bleach per gallon of water. It will keep harmful bacteria, green-gunk, and other things from inhabiting the birds water and keeps diseases from spreading from bird to bird via water as well.
Seems like auto chicken waterers should work. But some even use gallon jugs with a whole cut in the side.
You do want them to take baths, but outside of the loft in water specified for that purpose.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I made one similar to this. Out of plastic jug and other containers I had on hand. I can not hang mine and it is not quite as pretty.

This watering station has a vacuum gravity reservoir bottle inside it works well.

This bottle is available commercially.

 

[nxd10]

Thanks. Yes, I have raised it and that certainly helps. But no matter where I locate it, I get droppings. The covered idea looks good. I'll experiment with that tomorrow. They love to bathe. I have a bath on the open 'porch' (4'x8') that they all use daily.

I was thinking about modifying an aquarium filtration system to keep the water clean between complete changes in addition to other systems. Both my chickens and pigeons (and cockatiel) seem to constantly have water slimier than I'd like, no matter how often I clean. They're never sick though.

 

[xmonster0]

i just have the regular metal waterers and feeders like in the pic the feeder is open top but i dont think i have ever seen a poop in the water or food also if you dont fill it so far that they could eat out of the top they wont try to perch on it

 

[nxd10]

I have ones just like that and they always get nasty. My pigeons are talented.