How to handle chickens while on vacation

[chipahoy4]

I use a dark blue 5 gallon bucket that I converted into a chicken nipple waterer. You want to use something dark so that the sunlight can not cause algae growth or at least not as fast. I have never tried it but, have seen some threads where apple cider vinegar was used in the water, (not sure how much or how often).

 

[Too Fast]

I use a dark blue 5 gallon bucket that I converted into a chicken nipple waterer. You want to use something dark so that the sunlight can not cause algae growth or at least not as fast. I have never tried it but, have seen some threads where apple cider vinegar was used in the water, (not sure how much or how often).

The rain water is good to go for the nipple system, that is what I do. And heck they drink from muddy puddles in the chicken run.. I use a little bit of bleach in my system to help control growth..

Here is another thread where I posted a tech sheet on using bleach and dosage, For those that use city water that is what is used there.. Use the unscented kind look for 6% heavy duty, or regular strength you will use a bit more.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/701228/bleach-in-chicken-water
Here is a University of Florida Article, I cant attach.

Pure water is essential for poultry health and production. Slime in
the drinking trough may cause lowered egg production or
occasional mild diarrhea, especially in caged hens. Sodium
hypochlorite, commonly used as a laundry bleach, is effective in
sanitizing poultry drinking water. Hypochlorite sanitation—called
superchlorination—will control water trough slime. It also provides
some control of nitrates and nitrites by oxidation. Hypochlorite is
readily available, inexpensive and safe. One gallon of bleach will
effectively sanitize up to 17,500 gallons of drinking water with a
chlorine level of 3 parts per million (ppm). Levels between 50 and
100 ppm are well-tolerated.
To control water trough slime, first clean equipment such as
troughs or drinking cups. Then prepare a stock solution of
1.5 ounces of bleach per gallon of water. Add 1 ounce of the stock
solution per gallon of water at the input station.
Avoid starting a flock on high chlorine levels. This could cause
birds to cut back on water intake, resulting in lowered egg
production. Begin with a 3 to 5 ppm chlorine concentration at the
input station. Gradually increase to 20 ppm at the input station, a
level needed to control trough slime. The chlorine residual at the
trough overflow will then be about 5 ppm.


This calcs out to 1.5/128xNumber of gallons to treat in tank= ozs to treat with.

if you don't want to make the stock solution.

My 55 gallon tank I will put in about .5 oz. every couple of week.. You can also get some test strips to test levels.

Hope this helps.

Yes, both of you. This helps a lot, thank you again. And thank you for not telling me to *do a search* like some people in other forums do. Never thought about the sunlight helping to grow the algae, but it makes sense.