Copper in the waterer works!

[Hermits Garden]

I have a 3 gallon white plastic waterer. Actually I have four waterers, two in the coop, and two in the run. No worries about extra humidity in the coop or drips--they're both in pans and we live in the mtns of eastern AZ where the only time it gets even a little humid is during the monsoons in the summer. Even our snowy weather doesn't raise it much.

Anyway, one outdoor fount is in the shade, the other (the 3 gallon) is in a spot that gets several hours of sun a day--maybe three or four--in the middle of summer. I washed it last time and it had green algea growing in it. I wash them all every time I refill them, and this grossed me out.

I remembered somebody saying put copper in it--like a true copper penny. Then I remembered I had saved a couple pcs of copper pipe (maybe 3/4" x 3/4"? I'm such a crow.) so I got them, put them in when I refilled it. This week when it was time to clean and refill, the inside was...pristine. Smelled good, no algea, just ready to wash and refill.

 

[SourRoses]

It's nice that it worked on algae, but you may want to look into the safety of Copper levels.
It's one of those things that's both an essential nutrient and potentially toxic.
By using a piece of metal, you have no way to control the dose or know how much it is.
From the web I see that signs of toxicity to look out for include watery diarrhea and listlessness.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

Heavy metal poison can also cause paralysis

 

[RubyDoe]

I've been tossing a little First Saturday Lime into the water, and it seems to do a good job at keeping the algae at bay.

 

[Silexian]

I think that other ailments and old age, will take most people. Before the 200 years it takes for enough copper to build up in your system. To have any real detrimental effects on your health.

 

[RoosterFredsmom]

It's nice that it worked on algae, but you may want to look into the safety of Copper levels.
It's one of those things that's both an essential nutrient and potentially toxic.
By using a piece of metal, you have no way to control the dose or know how much it is.
From the web I see that signs of toxicity to look out for include watery diarrhea and listlessness.

Is this still working for you?

 

[GCrumb]

It works for me. My cat gets this big 2 gallon hopper style water dish. It takes him a long time to drink it down. I put a big old pre-decimal British copper penny in the water or it gets slimey in a few days and defeats the purpose of the big water supply that doesn't need changing.

Silver works too, which is why great grandma would drop a silver teaspoon in the milk-pitcher.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Do some research on copper oxidation/leaching in high or low pH water levels. If you are in the desert there are a lot of water sources with a wide range of pH levels. Something as simple as lemon juice or baking soda can be used to raise and lower pH levels to keep the risk of copper levels becoming too high and still allow the algaecide properties of copper to work their magic.