clean water

[echlfan]

OK, I am wondering. I see they need "clean water" all over the place here. But I also see people with the 5 gallon buckets that they don't have to fill for a week. I have been cleaning mine daily due to chicken dust. Am I going over board??? How clean does it need to be?

Here is my set up. The 5 gallon bucket is attached to a watering bowl. I turn it on to clean it & then fill it. It use to be always on, but hte hose developed bulges, so I stopped that. The slef over it prevents most of the poop from getting in it.

 

[toletiquesbysam]

If your water is high enough that it's not getting shavings/food/poo/etc in it and it's self filling like the 5gallon buckets would be, then you wouldn't have to worry about filling everyday just as needed. I've still got chicks in a brooder so I am refilling water twice a day to keep it replenished and cleaned out (ducks & chicks together). I do have some Rabbit waterers that I have hanging along the sides and they go through those about every couple days, soo that I only fill as needed.
Soo you need to just determine based on what you have whether it needs done daily/twice a day or every couple days. Everyone's situation is different so just remember that!

 

[GardeNerd]

My personal opinion with any pet's water is "If you wouldn't drink it, it is time to change it."

 

[echlfan]

It isn't getting food/shavings/poo, but mainly dust.

No I would not drink it, lol.

 

[spottedtail]

It's a good setup you have.

I'd put it up 6" to 8" higher to help keep more litter out.
And if you made a wire cage around the bowl, it would keep
their rears out while only allowing heads in (2x4" mesh).

I have a similar setup. I keep the water deep by filling it once each day. Any dirt that does get in, sinks to the bottom, leaving clean water on top. Then I clean the entire bowl once a week.

Good luck,
spot

 

[echlfan]

Quote:
So the chicken dust is no problem?

 

[spottedtail]

Right. No problem.

 

[Andora]

I don't think the dust bothers them. It doesn't seem to bother mine when they are in the brooder.

I have several 64 ounce rabbit waterers hanging outside along the fence for them to drink out of. I usually refill them every couple days. The funny thing is, now that we have ducks the chickens all love to drink the disgusting water the ducks swim and poo in. WHY?? It looks like chocolate milk rather than water, and we spray it out and clean it at least once a day. The chickens all flock to it, some of them even climb in and splash in it.

It doesn't seem to hurt them though. They aren't as picky as one might think.

 

[E-Chick]

My girls will drink the muddy water when I add water for them to play around in.

They have 2 clean sources of water, but still drink the muddy water. Hope I'm not killing mine with the stuff! They don't seem to care.