Distilled water

[MightyChickenJF]

There has been a number of articles in the mainstream media about keeping chickens due to the egg shortage, and one recommended watering one's flock with distilled water. Do chickens really do best with distilled water, or is normal tap water sufficient?

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Normal tap water is just fine, as long as it's clean/safe (if you're drinking it, it probably is). Nothing wrong with distilled water, but not needed.

 

[MightyChickenJF]

Thank you. The tap water is drinkable here, but I saw that article recommending distilled and was unsure. Of course, I don't know what a reporter in New York City would know about raising chickens.

 

[ILoveDaffy]

Distilled water has no minerals, and really isn't very good for people to drink, so I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[The Birb King]

Any water is fine as long as its not dirty and doesn't have chlorine/chemicals in it.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

There has been a large boom of articles about chicken keeping due to the egg prices, avian flu and conspiracy theories. Unfortunately news reporters do not seem to know how to research anymore beyond that of a quick Google search and these supposedly informative backyard chicken keeping articles are laughable at best. No you do not need distilled water for your birds.

 

[MightyChickenJF]

There has been a large boom of articles about chicken keeping due to the egg prices, avian flu and conspiracy theories. Unfortunately news reporters do not seem to know how to research anymore beyond that of a quick Google search and these supposedly informative backyard chicken keeping articles are laughable at best. No you do not need distilled water for your birds.

Some of the chicken articles I come across are so obviously written by NYC reporters who have lived their lives in apartments smaller than many chicken runs that even somebody like myself who is a newbie to chicken raising can see how stupid they are.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I feel like almost every chicken article on major media outlets is about the dangers of raising chickens...like salmonella and the like. Sure, there's some risk...but kind of sensationalistic to make that the lead EVERY time.