Keeping water clear in hot weather

[RenoHuskerDu]

Our birds are not satisfied with two big nipple founts. Or the house AC drains. Or the irrigation tray under potted trees. They drink at all those, but in the morning when I let them out they beeline for the big old galvanized bucket we use to water by hand with rainwater. In this heat, that water starts growing icky algae that must not be good for the chickens.

Has anyone experimented with adding a tablespoon of bleach every night after the birds are safely away in the coop? It should be fully evaporated by morning. I wouldn't do this if the water were already growing algae, because the interaction of chlorine on organic matter produces trihalomethanes aka chloramines, which are toxic. I'd only do it to keep clear water from going mossy.

Anybody BTDT?

 

[chickenlittle21]

Algae grows best in clear water. If you add apple cider vinegar to that water it will help with the algae (because it's harder for algae to grow in not as clear water because it's harder for it to get sunlight) and its healthy for chickens. It would also help to put the bucket in the shade.

 

[Justso]

Personally I would not add chlorine. Even without the interaction it is toxic to ingest. how much would you be adding? Do you really know what the concentration levels are going to be? The same as city drinking water? There's really no way for you to know this unfortunately.
I would dump out or cover who love them more than anything in the whole world w w the water everyday so that they're not drinking out of it. Taking in algea can be dangerous as well, I had a hen become very sick from drinking water with algae growth, she almost died. The only thing I use now is fresh water. If I need to clean algae out of a container, I use cleaning vinegar, which is stronger than regular white vinegar, and rinse it out and put water in there. No cider vinegar or anything.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

Algae grows best in clear water. If you add apple cider vinegar to that water it will help with the algae (because it's harder for algae to grow in not as clear water because it's harder for it to get sunlight) and its healthy for chickens. It would also help to put the bucket in the shade.

They get ACV and Oxine in the nipple founts. Oddly, we find that ACV tends to sully the nipple founts faster than clear water. Oxine is only when any are sick. It tends to keep the water clear. We used to dose with molasses too but that was really messy and fouled the founts quickly. But I got sidetracked on the nipple founts now.

Back to the bucket, its location in the sun is dictated by the location of the rainwater tank, whch isn't moving, alas.

Y'all who live in cities are drinking chlorinated water daily, unless your MUD has gone to Bromine. In safe quantities it's harmless. If you can dose a pool's chlorine, you can dose drinking water. Just follow the tables. Out here in the country, most wells have no chlorine. We use UV sterilization for above-ground water storage. I got sidetracked again.

But back to the question, it sounds like nobody so far has BTDT using small doses of chlorine at night to keep the big water pail clear?

 

[Justso]

Chlorine levels in pools are toxic to drink. I personally feel wary of the amount of chlorine in city water. I would clamp a piece of chicken wire over the bucket. And give them a source of your good well water with no additives.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

Never drink pool water. If you are wary of your city water, let it sit out for a day till the chlorine evaporates. Better, get a good water filter such as the AlexaPure.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

I would clamp a piece of chicken wire over the bucket.

You mean keep them away from their water? It's way to hot around here to deny them all the water they want. You must be up north?

 

[blackdog043]

Put a couple copper fittings in the bucket.

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/copper-control-algae-97682.html

 

[Justso]

You mean keep them away from their water? It's way to hot around here to deny them all the water they want. You must be up north?

And give them a source of your good well water with no additives. Clean water. Every. Day.

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