How often to change the water?

[5chicks4us]

I change the water once if they're inside (still in brooder) and twice daily if they're outside in their portable run. I also add ice because it's freaking hot.

 

[KenK]

My birds seem to appreciate fresh and cool water so I empty and refill at least once a day.

 

[mulewagon]

Like specklehen says, it depends. I was changing my water, and rinsing out the waterers, every other day, unless there was dirt or poop in the water. Now that it's so hot, the water is going faster, so I'm rinsing and filling up every day, and checking in the afternoon. Also adding some ice, in the afternoon, as the flat area where the waterers stand gets sun part of the day.

One day I'd like to have a setup like BoltonChicken's, so I could be sure the water would stay clean and full for a long time! It's on the list...

 

[gritsar]

We ended up needing to buy some bulk ice yesterday when we went to town for groceries. The ice is "clean" in the cooler, so today the chickens are benefitting. They have several large bowls of melting ice to choose from for drinking, plus the dripping hose. Sometime today I'll be pulling out the kiddie pools to fill with several inches of water. One for the dogs and one for the chickens.

 

[kara_leigh]

Quote:
My big chickens prefer to drink from the dog's large (5gal) water bowl, and I use 2 liter soda bottles filled with water and frozen. I just put the bottle into the water to cool it off, and when it melts I swap it for a new one. I keep them in the deep freezer. I use regular ice in the normal chicken waterers for the smaller chicks, though.

 

[SmokinChick]

Water kept in a DARK clean container will last indefinately. Yuk won't grow in the dark. If there is a lid on your waterer you should be fine. Thats the beauty of the PVC waters. They are dark. The usage is the same per chicken. But if you have 6 foot of 1" pipe thats a lot of water. It could take a week for the chickens to change that length of water. But the water is good. So if its in a bucket with a lid and is dark, you should be fine.
Cool water is nice for everyone. But cold doesn't really cool down your system. It increases the blood flow to your stomach to combat the COLD and actually increases the internal temp temporarily.
My $.02

 

[jmagill]

Quote:
Well said, I agree. I will add that my chickens drink more water when the water is warm as opposed to cool.(not hot water) Studies have also shown this. You may prefer cold water but that does not mean your chickens do.

 

[smeek1]

It does not get hot where we live, I have an "little giant" auto waterer, I clean it out once a week or so......

 

[sammyh312]

I just keep the trays clean and keep the resevoir full, but since its clean, i don see a reason to dump it out and refill. along with their five gallon waterer, i keep a large aluminum pan under shade in the run. its four inches deep and i clean and change that every day. when its hot, i put frzen bottles of water in the pan twice a day. i just swap em out anf re-freeze.

 

[caspernc]

Slime WILL grow in the dark. Has anyone changed their shower head. I looked at the old on and just about got SICK. The inside was caked with YUCK! Now I find out you need to bleach it every couple of weeks. Even a well. That is VERY dark, we add chorine to once a year.