During winter, cleaning and refilling chickens water in home sink

[GPchickens]

During the winter, while the outside water is turned off, my wife has been bringing the chickens water dispenser inside the house and cleaning it in our kitchen sink and refilling it with new water. I'm trying to get across that this is really unhygenic and am assuming could get the family sick.

She is saying that she is scrubbing it clean and usig hot water and that it isnt an issue.

Any thoughts on this debate?

Thanks,

 

[famerzellman]

I always use gallon water jugs to bring out for my ladies. Salmonella can be transmitted to us humans even if they are “clean” birds. I just don’t want to get bubbly guts from cross contamination.
I bring out two gallon water jugs to fill their water during the day at night I bring out one water jug with a little bit of dish soap. I empty the ladies watering dishes of the old water. Swish the water with original dish soap use a brush if need. Empty the water and tilt to dry over night. I don’t wash the dishes every night just when needed.
(Winter routine)

 

[Pater est Pullis]

I had to do the same thing, nothing I use for cleaning household dishes gets anywhere near my chicken stuff, and when I'm done I thoroughly clean the entire area with bleach. I even used bleach wipes on the door knobs, inside and out.

 

[PirateGirl]

We have the same debate at my house. I don't know who is right. The soap and water should kill things, but then again, do you really want the poop in your kitchen? I have always used a totally separate sponge/brush for the chicken stuff, but lately I have changed my ways to appease my husband and play it safe and now do chicken and duck dishes in the bath tub, totally away from the kitchen. Turns out I actually prefer it as the water fills much faster from the bath faucet. Also if I have to set anything down in the house I make an effort to set it on the tile floor, not on a table or countertop.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I personally wouldn't want my chicken's waterer in my kitchen so when emptying and refilling the waterer in winter I dump any residual water outside, then use plastic water jugs, fill those in the sink, and carry them outside.

I do bring their fermented feed bowl in but it goes in a separate sink away from the kitchen, with its own scrubbers, soap dispenser, towels, etc.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Our water outside has a frost free faucet, we can use it in any temperature. However, we don't keep the hose hooked up to it.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I never bring in my hens 2 gallon galvanized fount. I have one of them shrinking hose 75 foot.
But it was even to cold for that when the polar vortex dropped in for a couple of weeks.
I have a 2 gallon kitty litter jug and 2 gallon jugs, filled with water, a dedicated toilet brush, bought new just for the chickens, cotton gloves and large rubber gloves over the cotton gloves and clean outside.
I don't use bleach or soap. Just water and a brush for over a year and a half. Once a week for 5 hens. I've never had to treat a hen for sickness or worms, and never had a grown chicken die. My hens are 22 months old. picture was taken on Dec 30, 2017 GC

 

[blackdog043]

Make her a waterer with horizontal nipples and you won't have to clean it very often. They stay clean inside and the chickens always have fresh clean water.

My waterer doesn't come in the house. I clean it every couple/few months outside. I have a 5 gallon bucket, with horizontal nipples, a gamma lid and also have a desk grommet with a rubber washer that my de-icer cord goes through. I take a one gallon jug out and fill my water up every day or two. While my de-icer is in use, I fill through the 2 inch hole that my grommet is in because I can't unscrew the gamma lid as easy. I wipe my fermented feed container out, with a paper towel in the garage and refill for them.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

She washes chicken she buys at the store in the sink, doesn't she? What's the difference?

 

[blackdog043]

She washes chicken she buys at the store in the sink, doesn't she? What's the difference?

You aren't supposed to wash chicken/poultry before you cook it, for the same reason (Salmonella). when you clean it the water splashes all over. I suppose you could wash all your counters and sink real good with a 10% bleach solution, when your done or at least you should be doing this. No, I don't wash my chicken/poultry before cooking.