Mosquito Larvae in Water

[Weeg]

I do want to eventually get to that. It's just taking the time to run the pipe and set up the barrel to store the water for it. I've got a great place to put it so that the barrel and pipe would be out of any direct sunlight. They would have constant access to cool clean water.

Why not just take some nipples and screw them into a 5 gallon bucket? Then refill the bucket as needed. Simple, cheep, and solves the problem.

 

[nuthatched]

I don't have a barrel set up. I am interested what I can do right now with waterers that I'm not going to be able to change the water in every day.

Skeeter lay eggs on long the egde of the barrel, at the waterline, just keep that scrubbed and they should be kept at bay.

 

[Brooks_]

Changing the water every day is not going to happen. I have searched and read but really cannot find where people really recommend how much bleach or apple cider vinegar to add to the water. I would prefer the vinegar instead of bleach. How much apple cider vinegar per gallon of water to prevent mosquito larvae? I've looked into the mosquito dunks but that treats the surface of the water. Would the chickens not just peck at and eat the disc? If you put it inside the waterer it's really not doing anything to the rest of the water is it?

Mosquitos lay eggs in very still to stagnant water. How long do you plan to go between refreshings?

 

[SolaScriptura]

Mosquitos lay eggs in very still to stagnant water. How long do you plan to go between refreshings?

That's going to depend on day to day and work and life. People put different things in water to prevent the mosquito larvae. I'm just trying to find something simple and how much to put in about 5 gallons of water. I have a couple of smaller containers too.

 

[raingarden]

Any kind of oil will keep the mosquito larvae at bay. They can't breath through the surface if it is coated with oil. But, oil is fat. I imagine making the chickens drink through the oil will increase their fat intake. I don't know what it would do to their digestive system.

Mosquitos will not lay eggs in just any water. They search out something that is a bit rank and stagnant.

If there is water current and mixing then it is not stagnet. The adult mosquito cannot easily make their little floating raft of eggs and, if they do, the egg raft will be broken up.

A lot of decaying dissolved and suspended organic matter nurtures the mosquito larvae. Chickens do not know that they shouldn't kick dirt and spit in their water. So, it gets rank.

Finally, rank and stagnet water is not a suitable home for critters that eat mosquito larvae

So, keeping the water moving and mixed will control mosquitoes. Alternatively, keeping the water clean and clear through regular changes will control mosquitoes. Sometimes it is easier to put a little aquarium bubbler in the water than to keep changing the water.

 

[Tonyroo]

I bought a sparkletts bottle at some store a while back and ended up using it for the chicken's water nipple. It's a clear light blue plastic 5 gallon bottle.

I drilled a 1/4 inch hole on the side of the neck of the bottle for air exchange. Works great and the chickens all use it. Best part I can see the water level at a glance.

 

[SourRoses]

It does not require daily cleaning to keep buckets mosquito free.
We have a mosquito bucket to collect larvae to feed my Bettas, and the whole process of letting the water get aged enough to attract the bugs and for the eggs to hatch to larvae takes around a week. Mosquitoes need organic material in the water to host microorganisms for their larvae to feed on, so they don't lay in fresh water.
Every time a chicken drinks, microparticles (at least) of feed, dirt, bedding, and chicken dander/oils from grooming is deposited in the water. That's a lot of organic material. Most water sources already carry the algae and microbes ready to "bloom" in the right conditions. Yet it takes time for that bloom to happen.

If you scrub (not just dump, but scrub the walls of the bucket) once a week, you won't have mosquito larvae. If you only dump and refill every other day, you won't have mosquito larvae.
Our run water buckets are within 25ft of the Mosquito bucket, and we don't get larvae in the chicken waterers because we scrub them before refilling. Having a good stiff brush with a long handle makes the job easy and fast.

Putting bleach or vinegar in the water, with the potential reduction in drinking from taste, is more harmful than eating larvae (chickens eat bugs).
So, if you're determined to forgo maintenance you can just let them have some "snacks" when they drink.

 

[Sussex19]

One point is that vinegar can cause soft shelled eggs and therefore more chance of causing problems for the hen, so I tend to try and avoid it.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

No no and no. I LOVE Oil of Oregano! Its great for any kind of immune boosting. I use it on myself all the time. First off, I'm talking about OIL OF OREGANO. Not oregano essentail oil. I would never eat that. Its extremely potent, and can be toxic for a delicate chicken at such high potency. I would not give any type of essential oil to a chicken. Personally, I wouldn't feed Oil of Oregano to anything long term. I'd be very concered about dosage being too high. You could kill them.
I do feed as much of the fresh herb as I can to my birds. You can't overdose fresh or dried oregano. I am pro herbs, and immune boosting through them. Personally I think I'm a very holistic person. But Oil of Oregano is very strong and I would be very concerned about putting it in the water. I highly recommend against it.

Oregano Essential Oils at 2 drops per gallon.

Do you have links to prove that it is harmful to chickens? Because I've been giving it to my chickens off and on for years and they are doing just fine.

 

[Weeg]

Oregano Essential Oils at 2 drops per gallon.

Do you have links to prove that it is harmful to chickens? Because I've been giving it to my chickens off and on for years and they are doing just fine.

Again, don't get me wrong, I love holistic treatments, and use Oil of Oregano all the time. I use oregano all the time for immune boosting, and essential oils often for diffusing. I actually have Oil of Oregano in my first aid kit awaiting the day I ever have to use antibiotics, and plan to try Oil of Oregano first knowing that there are studies showing it can be just as powerful as antibiotics. Overall I love the idea, essential oils just concern me. If you have found a dosage that works for you, thats great! Maybe it wont cause any issues.
There is this thread on BYC that talks about the subject, that would be a good start- https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...dosing-benefits-can-it-be-used-daily.1527452/