Rain water off my Chook house roof, is it okay for my chooks to drink?

[new chick 203]

I think a mettle roof would be perfect for that. We collect off our asphalt shingle roof and use for my garden. With asphalt they say don't use it on things where you are eating the leaves, but it's ok for fruit baring things like tomatoes. Wood shingle are the same issue if they are treated at all. I'm more concerned with the chemicals that are in some roofing materials than a little bird poo that may be there.

 

[UrbanGrower]

It sounds good to me. I'd like to stress that you inspect the water regularly. I have a rain water collection system for my garden and last year I was checking it and one of the barrels was loaded with what appeared to be mosquito larvae and I had to dump it.

 

[libertychicken]

Quote:
darkmatter I love your setup! Wish I could get a weed jungle established in my girls' yard - that will be a goal for this spring.

For mosquito control in my rain barrel I floated a thin film of citronella oil on top - the larvae can't get oxygen through the oil and die. BUT! I have never fed the chickens from the rain barrel, I used it on the garden. I don't know if citronella would kill chickens if they ingested any of it, but better not to risk it. A film of vegetable oil will work instead.

That said, goldfish would be much more fun!

 

[Badboychook]