How clean does the water have to be? Give it to me straight!

[txchickie]

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And bugs and mice and frogs and poop and... ewwww...

I bet if I added a handful of dirt to their water each day they would be greatful

Save them the trouble of doing it themselves!

 

[KittyKelly]

 

[Tuffoldhen]

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You must have to start again as soon as you finish with the first cleaning....

LOL Nope takes me half hour tops twice a day to do this and they do get dirty or empty up quick if I don't do them and yes I have large waterers but I also have almost 100 chickens and chicks

 

[Mahonri]

I'm on the other end of the spectrum.

How clean does the water have to be?

Would you drink out of it?

 

[Chickie Mamma]

I usually clean my waterers at the end of each day. I only have 8 birds, but 3 are ducks and they can be really messy! My waterers are high enough that they cannot kick in bedding etc. Nothing is more rewarding than spending an hour cleaning out the kiddie pool for the ducks, and within 2 minutes that they are swimming, they poop, and clean their muddy beaks

I really think they like it a bit murky and gross!

 

[Equus5O]

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No, but then I wouldn't drink out of a poopy mudhole in the run either, and the chickens would.

 

[Andora]

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Do you use the ball kind or the pin kind? I raise rabbits, and I have lots of extra water bottles that I keep on hand for them... but they are all the ball type. I never even thought about using those for the chickens.....Thanks!

I use the ball type! They love pecking them. In order to get them to use those at first I had to take away all other water sources, but they really don't seem to mind.

 

[codybird]

I think most water is OK as long as it is still liquid and does not have large amounts of cyanide, arsenic, or antifreeze in it.

 

[chickendude]

ACV? Is that apple cider vinegar? And if so how much do you all put in per gallon of water? Also does it need to be raw or pasteurized.

 

[lavacaw]

For about 18 years I have used automatic waterers. These can be purchased as "livestock" or doggie water dishes. Hook them to a high pressure strength water hose connected to the faucet and turn the faucet on. The float in the pan keeps water in the pan at all times. I try to get out there once a day to swish it out with a commode brush and empty it and allow it to refill. Since I am frequently out of town for two or three days at a time, this ensures clean, fresh water for them. They drink the most when I empty the dish into the dirt...the water in the dirt, not the clean stuff! Never had a sick chicken ... knock on wood. If I got bad eggs from them, I never knew it 'cause nobody ever got sick from eating them.