De-chlorinate tap water when using probiotics, yeast, etc?

[LamarshFish]

Some give a feed that has probiotics (microorganisms) and/or yeasts. Some provide medications that have some kind of microorganism or yeast.

I am wondering, when using these items, whether it is necessary to de-chlorinate the water (assuming it is city, tap water) you give your birds such that the chlorine in the water does not kill any of the microorganisms you are trying to provide your birds for whatever reason.

Would your decision to de-chlorinate change if you were providing probiotics or yeasts directly to the water, as opposed to in the birds' feed? I would think you should certainly de-chlorinate the water if you are putting some form of microorganism directly into the water, but I'm not really sure about if you are providing it to the birds in their feed? What happens to the ingested food with microorganisms when the birds drink chlorinated water directly after eating? Would the chlorine in the tap water kill the microorganisms, or perhaps decrease their efficacy?

As many may know, de-chlorination of water is as simple and easy as putting a few drops of de-chlorinating solution to the water.....

Thanks!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Or letting it sit in the sun for a day....but it's a different story if you're water is chloriminated, which is becoming more popular.

I'm on a well, so it doesn't apply to me but I tried to find some actual reliable information on it and all I get are bloggers, etc spouting opinions as fact.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

"In some metropolitan areas, the addition of fluoride or chlorine to drinking water may interfere with the action of probiotics. In metropolitan areas, treatment plants are situated throughout the water-distribution network. According to Australian authorities, the concentration of fluoride and chlorine throughout most of the network is too low to exert an effect. However, the concentration in the water of aviculturalists close to a treatment plant may be high enough to kill the probiotic organisms. These substances will, however, evaporate from treated water if it is allowed to stand for 24 hours. Aviculturalists in any doubt are best to set aside water to be medicated with probiotics for 24 hours before use. Simply standing the required volume of water in several buckets awaiting use is adequate. Alternatively, rainwater or distilled water could be used. Most water-soluble probiotic preparations can be added to the feed. Indeed, with some preparations, this ensures a more immediate and effective delivery of the probiotics to the digestive tract."


http://www.melbournebirdvet.com/use-of-probiotics.aspx

 

[GC-Raptor]

I never thought of that. That's a good question. I have well water. In cool weather I don't think it would be a concern. But in hot weather, my girls drink a lot more. So my answer is maybe in hot weather. But I don't know. I use a feed with prebiotics and probiotics in the formula. GC
Another thing is in the summer my hens eat about half the feed, so they're already getting half the probiotics.

 

[LamarshFish]

That is sort of what I figured. I think there is not much to worry about with the microorganisms used in food, but when used in water I am just thinking de-chlorination is a good measure, but wanted to see what others thought. Folks that use microorganisms of some sort for fish tanks or gardens (e.g., added micorhizzae fungi in gardens or houseplants, for example, may be killed by chlorine in water), typically de-chlorinate so as not to interfere with the efficacy of the microorganisms they are using.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I'll add that this might be a consideration for those that ferment their feed as well...

 

[LamarshFish]

I'll add that this might be a consideration for those that ferment their feed as well...

I was mainly thinking of the modern, commercial feeds that have probiotics and yeasts in them, and wondering whether drinking chlorinated water quickly after eating it would affect the efficacy of those microorganisms inside the bird--but that is a good point, I'd imagine the folks fermenting their feed would want to know this.

Even though I posed the question here, because I am curious what others think, I am pretty confident that it is a bad idea to add any kind of probiotic, yeast, etc additive to chlorinated drinking water. Even though the chlorine evaporates within 24 hours, if you add the microorganisms right after filling the waterer from your tap, the chlorine present at that moment could kill too many of the microorganisms. I am aware of a few pigeon medications containing yeasts and other microorganisms that explicitly indicate on the label that the water it is added to should be dechlorinated.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I use a probiotic powder called Gro2Max. I was told to dechlorinate the water. After all, the chlorine/chloramine is in the water to kill bacteria.
Almost all municipal water systems now use chloramine because it is more stable. It is necessary to first break the chlorine ammonia bond before the chlorine can dissipate. All the aquarium tap water conditioners can deal with both.
Leaving water treated with chloramine out in the sun won't help. The chlorine won't leave.
I also treat the water used for fermented feed.
If they're drinking chlorinated or chloramine water that will affect gut flora.
They also told me that humans drinking chloramine treated water need to get more probiotics in their diet because they'll be continually affected.

 

[LamarshFish]

All the aquarium tap water conditioners can deal with both.
Leaving water treated with chloramine out in the sun won't help. The chlorine won't leave.
I also treat the water used for fermented feed.

When I dechlorinate, I don't bother letting the water sit out, because the drops are so much easier.

If they're drinking chlorinated or chloramine water that will affect gut flora.

That is another good reason to consider dechlorinated in any event.

I add apple cider vinegar to my pigeons water. It contains active bacteria that is supposed to be beneficial. I wonder after all this time adding it to tap water it has become partially useless (keeping in mind there are other benefits ACV adds to water besides good bacteria). But even if I didn't do this, I'd imagine it could negatively affect gut flora. Gut flora is important to birds (us too).