Hand me down waterer & feeder, ok to use?

[nbelval]

My husband brought home a used metal chicken waterer and two feeders. Both are rusted to varying degrees and I really don't want to use them for our new chickens. However my husband loves the "free" factor and says I just need to scrub them and they'll be fine. So I figured I'd ask those more knowledgable who's right? Use them or toss them? If toss (other than looks), why? I need to give him good reasons!! LOL
I imagine the rust would not be good to ingest and that it possibly harbor something nasty from the previous owners chickens?
Thanks!

 

[DomesticGoddess]

only my opinion, but I would clean out the feeders and use them. The water bucket no, like you said the rust isn't good.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Go to Lowe's and get some of this:
http://www.ospho.com/

After you use it, paint them and use them for 20-30 years

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I believe you can clean off the rust if you want to save the waterer.

http://lifehacker.com/5897807/how-to-remove-rust-from-old-tools

 

[nbelval]

So both of those products will be okay for the chickens to get their water out of? I mean the Ospho and then paint? What kind of paint is safe? If the Ospho and paint are more than $30 I would just buy a new waterer.
With the WD40 method I imagine once you get it off you would need to apply a product to prevent it from rusting further? So that would bring me back up to the above question.
Just don't want to kill my chickens!!

 

[ChickensRDinos]

Probably best to by something new for the chickens but if you clean it off you can certainly re-used it for something else. Might make a great planter.

 

[donrae]

I'd use the feeders. I'm not sure about the rust, but my birds drink the foulest water you can imagine when they have fresh clean available! At least your chickens wouldn't be anemic lol!

 

[nbelval]

Ha ha! That is true! Thanks for the advice everyone.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Personally I'd rather have a plastic waterer anyway.
The Ospho and paint would be safe
WD40 would NOT be good for them

But then again, those are cheap feeders

I'm not much help, huh?

 

[nbelval]

I wanted plastic too. I feel like its putting your brand new baby in a dirty diaper!
Good to know the other stuff is safe. Now to figure out the cost. If its close to paying for a new one I'll just get plastic!