How often do you clean your waterer?

[myback40]

For those not using nipple or water-cup systems, how often do you clean out the waterer? With the colder weather and busier season, I guess I'm going through a bad attitude period regarding water chores.

 

[pitbullmomma]

Worst part of chicken keeping, for sure!!! Getting me some chicken nipples! (that just sounds so wrong, lol)

 

[Chickassan]

Once maybe twice a week, depending on if anyone dropped a deuce in the water.

 

[pitbullmomma]

Once maybe twice a week, depending on if anyone dropped a deuce in the water.

hahahahaha. Chickassan, I love you <giggling like Beavis>

 

[Spartan22]

We have 4 waterers, i clean and fill them up everyday takes few minutes. Thoroughly scrub and clean them once a month.

 

[myback40]

Omigosh, I am scrubbing it out every day! So a swish with the hose and refill would be ok 6 days out of 7? Sometimes I detect a smell like my goldfish bowl used to get when I was a kid and didn't clean it. It freaks me out and makes me feel guilty. But maybe a full scrub isn't needed every day? Set me free!

 

[orrpeople]

Haha! I can relate! It's a never ending chore! It helps if I think about personally having to drink out of the waterers. If I say "No way" - it's time! There is a good algeacide (copper sulfate) that will make cleaning easier, and is especially made for poultry. As far as practicality, I clean my 5 gallon waterers a couple times a week -very thoroughly- and I do a less thorough cleaning (scrub the tray and partial dump) almost daily. My smaller waterers have to be completely done almost every day.

 

[PirateGirl]

I fill with fresh water daily, usually swishing and dumping a bit to rinse out the mud. Once a week I take it in the house and scrub it down with dish soap and hot water in the sink. I live in a cold climate and don't get much in the way of algae growth or anything like that, mostly just mud and wood chips the chickens kick in there.

This is the type of waterer I have (maybe it makes a difference with how often it needs cleaning). It's set up on a wood block, but they still kick things into it or knock the whole thing over.

https://www.qcsupply.com/420311-plastic-poultry-waterer.html

 

[mskluck]

Haha! I can relate! It's a never ending chore! It helps if I think about personally having to drink out of the waterers. If I say "No way" - it's time! There is a good algeacide (copper sulfate) that will make cleaning easier, and is especially made for poultry. As far as practicality, I clean my 5 gallon waterers a couple times a week -very thoroughly- and I do a less thorough cleaning (scrub the tray and partial dump) almost daily. My smaller waterers have to be completely done almost every day.

I myself do it too. If I wouldn't drink it then my girls shouldn't either. Yuck!!

 

[Jessica Thompson]

Once a week should do it unless you have lots of chickens I only have 17 so eh