Conflicting Info on Water Issues

[sqatkins]

1) I have two galvanized 3 gallon water cans for my two small flocks. Both of them are developing rusty patches inside. I don't notice a discoloration of the water, but each time I clean out the cans I have to blast the rust away. I searched on-line about rusty water and chickens. One source said it is actually GOOD for chickens, especially during molting, but that "too much" rust can encourage bacterial growth. Another forum said rust was very bad for chickens. Thoughts?

2) Vinegar additions: Many sites say that adding a bit of vinegar to the water is excellent for chicken health, but most metal-working sites suggest adding vinegar to water IF YOU WANT TO REMOVE THE ZINC GALVANIZATION. I have not ever added vinegar because I didn't want the galvanized can to rust, but it seems to have happened anyway. I wonder if the probiotics I sometimes add to the water have the same effect. Thoughts?

3) Heated bases: I live in Montana where our winters are very cold. I keep the galvanized can on a heated base to keep the water liquid throughout the winter. The base only turns on when the temperature approaches freezing. I was thinking about switching to the plastic watering cans in order to avoid rust, but the word is that the plastic waterers should NOT be put on heated bases. Thoughts?

4) I might just go out and buy two new galvanized waterers, but it seems a waste when the ones I have hold water and are what the girls are used to. I'm wondering if there is something I can safely coat the inside of the can with to prevent the rust, but which won't leach into the water to the detriment of the hens. Advice?

 

[wamtazlady]

I live in Kalispell. Have you ever thought of a nipple waterer? Mine is a 14 gallon tote with lid, 4 horizontal nipples, and a stock tank deicer that is rated for plastic. Has gotten as low as -26 at my house and the water has stayed thawed. Just bought a new tote as the old one is 2 years old. The plastic does get a bit brittle after a couple years of freezing and thawing. New one is 20 gallons and will get drilled for nipples tonight.

Some people swear by apple cider vinegar in the chicken's water. I don't know. Seems that just plain water is best, or at least that is my way of thinking. Can't help you with the galvanized waterer questions. I've never used one as I found out about nipple waterers my very first year of having chickens.

 

[K0k0shka]

Get a heated dog bowl and all your problems will be solved. Best winter watering option out there!

 

[wamtazlady]

Get a heated dog bowl and all your problems will be solved. Best winter watering option out there!

I keep a heated dog bowl in storage just in case my stock tank deicer dies. The bowls can be a good option for some.

 

[K0k0shka]

I keep a heated dog bowl in storage just in case my stock tank deicer dies. The bowls can be a good option for some.

It's been my only watering system for years and I love it.

 

[RoyalChick]

I can’t help you with all of that but I am sure of the following:
- vinegar will eat away at all metal (galvanized or not)
- you can put a plastic water bucket on a heated base as long as it is not too hot. I have a 5 gallon bucket with horizontal nipples that I place on a 100W heated base once the temperatures drop

Hope that helps.

 

[wamtazlady]

It's been my only watering system for years and I love it.

I might use something like that if I could get outside daily to tend the chickens. With my health issues and at my age I can not fill the bowl daily. Weekly filling the waterer works much better for me.

 

[K0k0shka]

I might use something like that if I could get outside daily to tend the chickens. With my health issues and at my age I can not fill the bowl daily. Weekly filling the waterer works much better for me.

You don't need to fill it daily. Get the largest size and it will last you longer. If you have a large flock, get multiple bowls. I have 8 chickens and a 2.5-gallon bowl, and only have to fill it about once a week (that's if I let it get down low - more often if I want it fuller, but they can reach the bottom just fine so sometimes I let it get low).

 

[Ridgerunner]

1) I have two galvanized 3 gallon water cans for my two small flocks. Both of them are developing rusty patches inside. I don't notice a discoloration of the water, but each time I clean out the cans I have to blast the rust away. I searched on-line about rusty water and chickens. One source said it is actually GOOD for chickens, especially during molting, but that "too much" rust can encourage bacterial growth. Another forum said rust was very bad for chickens. Thoughts?

The amount of rust in that water will not hurt them at all. Think dosage. A lot of people take a baby aspirin every day without problems but if they were taking 15 or 20 a day they could easily have problems. Rust is from iron. They and you need a small amount of iron every day for basic body functions. Above a certain level that can probably become a problem. The same thing is true of practically everything they eat like calcium, protein, fats, fiber, and salt. They need certain minimums. If you get ridiculous with those amounts they become harmful. The water is not discoloring, they are not getting enough rust to cause a problem.

2) Vinegar additions: Many sites say that adding a bit of vinegar to the water is excellent for chicken health, but most metal-working sites suggest adding vinegar to water IF YOU WANT TO REMOVE THE ZINC GALVANIZATION. I have not ever added vinegar because I didn't want the galvanized can to rust, but it seems to have happened anyway. I wonder if the probiotics I sometimes add to the water have the same effect. Thoughts?

Yeah, it's a chemical reaction. Vinegar is an acid and will dissolve galvanizing and will cause iron to rust. If you check the pH, your water is probably pretty acidic withut any additions to cause that iron to rust as much as it is. Adding vinegar would speed up both processes, loss of galvanizing and rust.

People give them all sorts of things as supplements to food or water. Some might help, especially in certain circumstances. As long as you don't overdo them they are not likely to hurt. In some cases there are benefits to the chickens. In some cases the benefit is that it makes the person feel better because they are doing something to help the chickens, whether it helps or not.

It depends in the chemical makeup of those probiotics. If they were low pH (acidic) they may have accelerated the rust rate. I suspect the real problem is that your water is acidic. If there is a scratch or hole in the galvanizing the rust will be concentrated in that area. That's called a "holiday" in the galvanizing business.

3) Heated bases: I live in Montana where our winters are very cold. I keep the galvanized can on a heated base to keep the water liquid throughout the winter. The base only turns on when the temperature approaches freezing. I was thinking about switching to the plastic watering cans in order to avoid rust, but the word is that the plastic waterers should NOT be put on heated bases. Thoughts?

It depends on how hot the base gets and at what temperature the plastic melts. The plastic may not melt into a puddle but become soft enough to deform, maybe to the point it will leak. Or it may be fine.

4) I might just go out and buy two new galvanized waterers, but it seems a waste when the ones I have hold water and are what the girls are used to. I'm wondering if there is something I can safely coat the inside of the can with to prevent the rust, but which won't leach into the water to the detriment of the hens. Advice?

You can buy cold spray galvanizing. You can use food grade paints. Once they dry you are not going to get enough stuff leaching into the water to cause a problem. Think back to dosage.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Ridgerunner gave heck of a run down on the issues. I'll add one more that many miss. High pH or low pH affects the bio-availability of most metals including heavy metals as well as iron/steel/copper and the other common metals. I'd avoid using vinegar in any sort of metal water can simply out of an abundance of caution. The small amount of zinc, phosphate, lead, and iron that naturally are available from the water can materials might be a bit more or a lot more. The solder used in the seams, if any, ought to be non lead but with Chinese products being common you can't guarantee that and elevated lead isn't something you want if you are eating the eggs or meat.