Citric Acid And Chickens

[Pump Hill Peeps]

I Have Access To 55 Gallon Barrels That Contained Citric Acid For A Brewery. I Have To Assume The Ca Was For Adding To A Beverage They Made. Does Anyone Know If I Cleaned The Barrels, Would They Be Ok To Use For Water For The Peeps?

 

[allieloveschickens]

I think if you scrub them out they should work fine as waterers. Also

 

[33yardbirds]

Wash them out with baking soda mixed with warm water, the baking soda will neutralize the acid, then rinse clean.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Quote:
This is what I'd do, but I'd fill the barrel with water into which you've dissolved a pound or two of baking soda then set the drum in a warm place for a day or two. That ought to pretty thoroughly neutralize any remaining acid.

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

Citric acid is just vitamin C, I would not think anything more than a rinse would be needed. Citric acid is not a bad cleaner either often used in beer/wine making so likely the barrels are pretty clean and sterilized.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
Citric Acid is NOT vitamin C, Ascorbic Acid is!

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

Citric acid is one of the most commonly used "tonics" and water sanitizers used in the commercial poultry industry. Its main use is for the control of "bio film" in closed, and less often, open watering systems.

I know that ACV is the darling of backyard poultry producers but commercial poultry people who rely upon science and a balance sheet to make decisions would scoff at the concept. Vinegar, just plain vinegar from the store, is sometimes used at a high level to sanitize lines and clear mineral buildup. Most often however another, cheaper and more potent, acid is used for this purpose. The industry has the equipment to get the right proportion into the water to make this feasable.

Any more than a rinse to clean a food grade citric acid barrel is a waste of time.

 

[Pump Hill Peeps]

thanks for all the input. i think i'll rinse them with baking soda just for the heck of it. i always cleaned car battery terminals with it. if it cleans those...... a simple water rinse would be ok, a little baking soda can't hurt. great site this is!!!

 

[jcatblum]

I use Citric Acid in my bread, just a pinch. This site shows a dough enhancer recipe which uses citric acid. http://www.tammysrecipes.com/node/2814
Citric acid comes in food grade and non-foodgrade. It is also used to make bath bombs and such. I think it creates the fizz of the bath bomb.


I would rinse well and use the buckets.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

We use citric acid to cut mineral build up on our watering line nipples in the layer barn. The birds actually drink more when it's being added to the water. I think they like the tangy taste.

It's also used in broiler production to improve feed conversion ratios. It improves mineral uptake by the birds.

A general rinse is all you need.