Algae w/ bacteria water?

[parrotmama]

We, unfortunately, had to rehome our remaining three chickens because they weren't getting what they needed. We spoke with the woman taking them(they will stay pets, never killed), and seemed like a know it all but she meant well.

I say this because she said Pilgrim geese are the only geese that are distinguishable by looks, yet goes off judging what Matilda is, saying she's a Canadian goose just because my pictures made her look grey in color(she's beige and dark brown), and that Africans and Brown Chinese are hatched out with a distinguishable knob, which is a complete lie.

So, this being the case, I very much question the advise she gave me. She said that geese, as they reach adulthood, have a need to be in the water frequently and the water must build up algae and bacteria after several uses and needs to be changed once a month. She says the bacteria and everything is healthy for them.

Is this true? We all know geese poop VERY frequently and my concern is, besides the bacteria, is if it's safe for them to be drinking bacteria filled, algae ridden water full of their own poop... That seems, to me, unhealthy for them to be drinking water soiled with their own bodily waste.

I have algae growing in a tub of water in the closet using an 'indoor sun', so to say(uvb+uva full spectrum lighting), I just need to know if she actually knew what she was talking about. I don't want my beloved goosey girl to get ill because of a know-it-all's bad advise.

She is quite obviously not Canadian... Anyone that's seen a Canadian could probably tell you this.

 

[Trefoil]

I change their water at least once a day and try to change their pools ( childrens plastic pools) every couple of days. I could be wrong, but I'm with you and don't want them drinking water they've fouled.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Nooo- that is insane! they could get really sick if the water has a chance to go rancid. Noo no no! Change it every day- especially when its hot out. The more geese you have, the more pools you need and the more often you need to dump them.

 

[RURU]

NO you change water's daily that they drink. I change their pool's once a day or twice if it gets yucky. Their waters are in their pens that I change once a day. I have 6 water buckets enough for each pen.
They free range all day so can go drink in anyone of the 6. Plus have two pools to play in.

Somebody did not know her geese your goose is not a Canadian by no means.

 

[parrotmama]

Ok, I thought so. I only have her, she was from a rescue situation. She had a sibling but it died as a hatchling, had an injury to the neck when I'd found it with her on the side of the road next to some bloody splats. They both had egg tooths when I found them, so they couldn't of been more than a few days. Matilda is roughly around 5 months old now.

Edit: Also, question. What if I just gave her water, occasionally, from the tub of algae and then dumped the bowl and rinsed at the end of the day? Essentially, is algae safe for them? All I used was a tub of water, some mossballs to start it off with an 'ecosystem', poultry grit stones to give it stuff to grow on, and then proper lighting to facilitate growth.

 

[RURU]

I do Not like to see algae in the drinking water or the pools either.

 

[Trefoil]

Geese eat water plants if they are available and they might eat your moss balls, but they don't have any way of straining the algae out of the water,although if you had fish in there to eat the algae, they might enjoy them.