Rain Barrel water

[Anny]

First off can chickens drink Rain water collected in a Food Grade Plastic barrel?

Secondly Does any one use this water for their chickens?
I'm trying to design a auto-refilling water system for my chickens using rain barrels.


Does any one do anything like this? Have any ideas? Thanks

 

[Ridgerunner]

They'll be fine with fresh rainwater from food grade barrels. They evolved drinking water from non-food grade ponds, puddles and streams.

My concern would be when the rainwater is no longer fresh. I don't think the mosquito larva swimming in it would cause the chickens a problem, but if the algae gets thick, it would concern me. The algae could clog up your mechanical system also.

If you can control the algae, it should work fine.

 

[spottedtail]

Rain water from a plastic barrel works great!

I have two big ones to catch rainwater off a building roof.
There's an aluminum window screen fastened over the top to keep out debris.
If the algae gets bad, the water gets dumped out. Then the barrel is cleaned and put back in place.

I don't do the auto-refill thing. Water just gets scooped out in a pail.

spot

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

They will drink it and be just fine. I water most of my plants this way too.

My FIL and my MIL were divorced about 6 years ago. She moved and bought some land down by the river and then she moved him in into this little hut type house to keep her safe I guess LOL And to do all her work for her. (They are basically married still but live in seperate houses now...but still legally divorced) He doesn't have a shower in his little house and he made this shower out of a barrel that collects rain water, runs down this pipe and thru a spicket that makes a neat little shower. He has been doing this for years now and that works for him. He can even heat it up for hot water.

Rain water is very useful IMO