clorox bleach in water - ever heard of this?

[birdbrain5]

my neighbor is an old timer, and has been around all kinds of farm animals and raised everything and anything. he was her the other day getting some chicks and we got to talking and he told me that in the turkey houses the water systems automatically put a certain amount of clorox bleach in the water. he said that it helps out game birds like turkeys and peafowl and whatnot. he said in the 2 gallon waterer i had i could put 1 tbsp of clorox bleach in it here and there. i must say im a bit skeptical about this, but i dont think he would tell me something like that unless he knew for sure it was ok. he also said i could put iodine instead. i've never heard of such a thing.. anyone else? and is it a no no to put any additives into a metal waterer?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=441322&p=2
see post #17

Tincture of iodine is a water purifier but it is considered a poison if you use too much.

 

[WallTenters]

Don't put anything in a metal waterer. Yes, these things are added. The bleach would for sure help with coccidiosis and other diseases the birds he's referring to are prone to (especially game birds w/ a host of diseases). There's really no need though, there are much safer and healthier alternatives. If you had a few thousand birds I suppose it would probably be the cheapest way to go, but you're talking a few pennies per hundred savings I think.

 

[hennyannie]

When I was a kid dad would have us put a bathroom cup full in the horse tub after we cleaned it. I clean with it now and then I lightly spray the tubs and fill them up.I also clean metal waterers with it but over time it will harm them, I rinse them really good.

 

[Brown Chicka Brown Cow]

If you have a municipal or city water source then your water already contains chlorine/bleach....it is used to kill bacteria/water purification....if you have a well water source and use very, very diluted amounts then it should be a benefit instead of doing harm....

 

[mamabahre]

just do yourself a favor and google MMS...
Sigh I have been having a huge argument on another forum about this theory that industrial bleach can cure everything from AIDS to cancer....Another topic though...

No I would not add bleach to anything that me or my pets ingest. As a PP mentioned if you have city water it is already being added (I'm not a fan of this but we have a well)
There are much better ways to prevent illness in your livestock.

 

[Delmar]

I actually think it's a great idea, but I would not put bleach in the water the same day I gave it to the chicks. Chlorine bleach does dissipate in water. It turns into chlorine gas and goes into the atmosphere. If I was going to do this I would use two waterers. Put the bleach in and let it set for 24 hours than switch waterers. The bleach will be gone and so will the bacteria.

 

[mons02035]

Chlorine bleach is a normal (and safe) additive to city water and also should be used on well water once in a while too (I have well water and grew up on well water). It is also suggested that you put chlorine bleach in water bottles that you may be storing in your hurricane or tornado survival kits. As for adding it to pets water, if you have city water I would not add it. If you have well water, It would be a good thing to use once in a while during the hot months at least. Just a side note, if using city water for fish, you are suppose to let it sit for a couple days with no lid to allow the chlorine to dissipate and off gas because it kills fish.

 

[TouchO'Lass]

I don't have experience using it with livestock/chickens, but I do with people.

If you really want to do this, and I don't think I ever would even tho' I'm on a well, I can offer this info:

I would first get a swimming pool test kit (or better) specifically for chlorine.

Most city water , when tested, barely registers as a trace of chlorine with a test kit. In most areas, it's supposed to be .02ppm (parts per million) when it leaves the treatment plant, so it's usually lower when it gets to the homeowner, but that also depends on how far it travels, the condition of the pipes, etc.

As a comparison, a public swimming pool should not be over 2ppm as anything beyond that causes eyes to burn, itchy/burning skin, and can cause stomach upset,

but is not harmful to humans at that level. As mentioned already, several things cause chlorine to dissipate; heat, sun, time...

When my Sailors or Marines had field exercises, we'd have them treat their 'buffalo's", one of their big water tanks on a trailer (400 to 600 gals), with a small coffee cupful of bleach (8 oz), and even then it was usually a little strong for the first day; just to give an idea of how little is needed by volume IF your water is considered potable to start with (city or an approved well). I also took into account that my beloved Devil Dogs often picked up a dirty garden hose and dropped it into the buffalo to fill it...

So we're talking about an almost 200lb human vs a less than 10lb chicken that eats dirt...

Sorry! Prolly more than you wanted to know,

but sometimes it helps me to have a reference point when I have questions! Hope this helps your decision...

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Bleach is one of the most widely used and cheapest water sanitizers in the world.

It sanitizes the water and that's it. There are no other health benefits to the birds other than providing clean water.

1 TBS in 2 Gallons of water provides about 100 ppm, that will keep algae from growing in your waterer. We inject it into our watering lines at about 12 ppm and after it's done its job oxidizing the organic matter it is less than 4 ppm by the time it reaches the birds.

Don't use a metal container, especially galvanized containers, as bleach is corrosive to metals and you will end up with metals in the water.