high phosphates in water

[treeclimber233]

My husband has mentioned we have a high level of phosphates in our water. I was wondering what effect that might have on my chickens (and rabbits). I have been breeding rabbits for many years and now I am not getting many babies. And my hatch rates for baby chicks is very low. Could high levels of phosphates in my water have anything to do with my problems? I tried looking this up on the computer but I am lost on a computer. (I can barely find you-guys) I did find one site that mentions toxemia in pregnancy which has something to do with the umbilical cord becoming detached from the uterine wall. Can anyone help me with this matter?????

 

[TxChiknRanchers]

Sorry i wish i could help, no nothing of phosphates in water or birth rate causes but I do know that this post may bring it closer to the top. then Silkiechicken or someone with more knowledge will see it sooner.

Good luck

 

[silkiechicken]

Here are some links about phosphates and health:

http://www.lenntech.com/Periodic-chart-elements/P-en.htm

http://webpages.charter.net/kwingerden/erhs/aquarium/phosphat.htm

http://www.enotalone.com/article/9375.html

I doubt that the levels of phosphates in the water you are using is going to be significant enough to cause the problems mentioned in the articles. Those are VERY high levels and your drinking water should be fine. I would look at other reasons leading to poor hatches and poor fertility. Phosphate is essential to the body and so a little "extra" won't hurt. You use the stuff all the time in living. There are lots of phosphates in the body in the form of high energy bonds like ATP's and so on. Phosphorylation is a key regulator in many biological pathways and the form it is coming in makes a difference to how you will react to it.

 

[treeclimber233]

The reason I was wondering about the water is because my husband has 50+ aquariums that he raises fish in for a hobby. He has been doing this for years and not long ago he had a major "fish kill" for no apparent reason. He lost a lot of fish (rather large ones) that he had for a long time. They were in various tanks all over the place and the only common factor was a water change he did the day before. I have had rabbits for 15 years and never had the problems I am having now with fertility. I bred 20-25 does for Christmas babies and only 2 does had babies. I have been at this location for 7 years and have watched my production steadily decline the whole time I have been here. I don't think my chickens hatched out more than maybe 25-30% of their eggs last summer. Quite a few of my hens sat on 10 eggs and only hatched out 1-2 babies. And these were cochin hens. And Easter Egger hens. I am just at a total loss as to what is going on. I feed Blue Seal rabbit and chicken feed. (Layer to my hens and starter to my babies)

 

[FutureChickenMan]

is this city water or well water?

 

[silkiechicken]

Well, if you have that big of a problem, it's time to talk to who ever monitors your water and get it fixed, somewhere there are fertilizer runoffs that are getting in your system.

 

[1acrefarm]

I don't know if the phosphates are what is causing the problem. From what I understand RV filters are not terribly expensive. Since they are made for RVs they will screw on your outside faucet and the hose will screw to them. The RV filter are supposed to last a good while. Here is an example. http://www.campingworld.com/browse/...stems-IVreg-Exterior-Water-Filter/skunum=7225 One like this is even better. http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=16007 You can get whole house systems as well.

 

[FutureChickenMan]

Quote:
Yeah those little filters are about $13, and filter about 300 gallons. But they are very basic filters no where as good as a real canister filter or something massive like a reverse osmosis.

 

[panner123]

Please take no offence to this but something similar happened to a friend last spring. She has been raising chickens for over forty years in the same coops, but for the last three years her hach rate has been way down. To look at her set up, you would think she lives in the coops. They are that clean or at least they look that way. One day we had to pull a piece of insulation out and we saw the problem, MOLD.
We striped the coops to the bare walls, then I pressure washed them down WITH A STRONG CHEMICAL to kill the mold. We let it dry out and replaced the insulation and nest boxes. All this time she had to farm out her chickens until she was sure all the chemical residue was gone. She has since had a hatch in October,
80+% and one in November 85%. You may have the same problem, which has nothing to do with the water.
Good luck, I hope this may help you look in a direction other than just the water.
The PH for fish varies according to the vary of fish also. Some need a 6.6 PH and some can handle a 7.8 PH. Their tanks are very easy to change the PH with adding a chemcial where a filter will do nothing for your water.

 

[treeclimber233]

I have well water. And I don't see any mold. I am completely stumped as to what the problem is.