Sanitizing Feeders & Waterers...

[Laughing Raven]

Hello...

Just out of curiosity, is it safe to clean feeders and water containers for chicks in the dishwasher.? I will be using the mason jar type water dispensers and the small plastic chick feeders and thought it would be a good idea to sanitize them in a dishwasher to save time and make sure they're washed with as hot of water as possible to make sure all the germs get killed off.

I was curious if anyone else might do this and if there;s something I might have to do once they come out of the dishwasher to ensure everything is as safe as possible for the chicks and maybe even the grown chickens.

Any help you can give me would be truly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Sincerely,
Jodi

 

[Arielle]

I used to put all my equipm,ent in the DW-- if only to get it cleaned quickly and save me time. Too clean also poses problems. I'm not a fanatic about it. THe waterers are scrubbed daily, and the plastic ones have vinegar added ( 1 T per gallon) to keep the slime from forming. Because honestly, have you seen what chicks and chickens eat?? THey are out scratching in the ground and such. Quality feed, good ventialtion and p lenty of water goes a long way to keeping them healthy. So the DW is just a time saver for me.

 

[Laughing Raven]

Thank you Arielle,

I appreciate the advice. It's always nice to have someone able to answer my question.

Have a great day.

Sincerely,
Jodi

 

[Arielle]

welcome!

 

[Cknldy]

I use Dawn dish detergent since it is safe for everything in case I am in a hurry to get water back out and don't rinse thoroughly enough. I rarely use my dishwasher for the family so not gonna turn it on for waterers. Some plastics degrade over time so extreme heat may wear them out faster- just a thought.

 

[Laughing Raven]

Cknldy...

Hi

nice to meet you.

Thank you for the advice and I think I will do hand washing, I totally forgot about plastic going down hill if it goes in the DW too much. I'll probably get the Dawn Antibacterial or something similar. Get them clean but, as pointed out, not too clean. I plan to use those screw on waterer's with the mason jars. I thought those would be best and I'm going to have 2 of each so I can swap them out to save a little time and also make sure that they are completely dry before using again. I have to find time-saving things because I have arthritis in my back and it makes some things an issue.

I'm getting my chickens for the eggs, maybe meat, and as a therapy for me. The more things I can find to keep me active the less chance of being in a wheelchair before my time. I also have 2 sweet little grand kids that I really want to share the experience with once they are old enough to understand what's going on.

It's going to be so exciting to have them help with the chickies. I am also sharing the coop with my neighbors, too. They have a little 2 1/2 year old boy who is absolutely smitten with birds anda so his daddy is buying us 3 extra just so Kyler can help with the wee one's also. Plus, he likes fresh eggs and that will get 2 happy things for him and his wife.

Me, I am just irrevocably obsessed with chickens. lol My family keeps teasing me that as much as I read and go to classes to learn about chickens ,and other poultry, hat I wil be able to teach others about it within the next year. LOL It's all good. I will be absolutely happy to share/mentor someone else once I learn enough.

LOL I'll shut up now..!!

Sincerely,
Jodi

Back to the research

 

[Arielle]

Jodi-- any soap is very effective. MOre and more information is indicating that antibacterial are not a good idea if they are actually of antibiotic effects , as in the medical classification of antibiotics. Soaps are very effective and do not create resistance.

What "bugs" are you worried about?? Any in particular, or just generally??

You can help the birds immune system by feeding fresh fruits , vegies and real meats. and fermenting their feed to increase the probiotics and create a healthy gut which includes good overall health. Have you read up on FF, maybe you have already.

 

[Laughing Raven]

Arielle...

I really think I'm probably just being paranoid and overprotective because this will be my first real flock and I only want what's best for them. lol

So could just go to the dollar store and get different sorts of feed pans and stuff like small size storage bins for feed and grit and such. I will probably just find a inexpensive dish soap after what you told me. I thought cheap little plastic plates and pans for food and other chicik stuff and then use the grown up stuff for when the girls are bigger.i was planning on growing fresh vegies and getting fresh fruit and such from the guy I know who runs the store across the street from us. As far as meats go, I'm going to use the lean meats and chicken I myself have to eat due to my diabetes. I don't want them to eat junk or anything.

I've not read up on FF.

Is that the whole food fermentation thing.? How would one do that.? Add water to their feed and let it set a day.? I found a place that does the apple cider vinegar that isn't pasteurized, so I'm set there once the time comes. I would actually love and appreciate every bit of information you're willing to share. I'm looking for a mentor and I MIGHT have found one here in my neighborhood, but, I still need to have a sit down with him to make sure it's the type of mentor I can learn from or if I'm going to try to find one here online at BYC. I'd like real hands on experience and not all "what I've read" information. Know what I mean.?

Sincerely,
Jodi

 

[Arielle]

THere are a number of good people here who IMO are worth listening to. I elarn from them-- I have had livestock for a number of years (25) but chickens are relatively new ( 3) and I stillhve much to learn.

FF--- mix waer and feed in a bucket until soupy, add about 1/4 cup unpastureized Braggs ACV to get it started, stir 3-4 times a day is a must. Strain out the amt of feed you want to feed out-- it wont go bad but they need a little time to adjust to the taste then they suck it down FAST. lol

Any good soap will do to wash everything regularly.

Yup, I use readily available pans, Even a plastic frisbee can be useful. I do like popbottle waterers as the chicks can't fall into it and my brooder with wooden sides allows me to stand as many as I want along a wall. I put vinegar in their water to prevent the slime, too. THe nipple waterews work well with chicks, and less well with older birds, thought my ducks love them. I plan to try a new cip waterer instead of the nipple waterer for my older birds ( to cut down on cleaning the waterers they now have) .

As for trhe diabetes-- that is one of my goals in life: to prevent getting diabetes as I am already on the fringes. THe docs were useless to me as I was more interested in preventing it than they were in even mentioning it to me. SO I eat a diet mean to reduce the insulin surges and had droped my cholesterol numbers down to great numbers and a ttl at 177 ( not too low and not high either = just right) DESPITE being over weight. I have dumped high carb foods and found pretty much low carb substitutes for all the old foods. I was an avid bread baker but one I realized all that bread was killing me, I quit baking bread. I have found substitutes for some breads but mainly eat veg and meats and lot s of eggs now instead. ANd lot of fatty meats. I don't hold with the current teacheings of the diabetes doctors or the dietians-- I listened and it was all nonsense so I just follow a low carb diet and THAT keeps my numbers in line, and I"m not hungry. I realize not every body is exactly alike, but I decided for myself that when I had gestational diebetes and I was on insulin that a LC diet controled the blood sugars better than the insulin by far. Later I would learn that insulin actually makes the diabetes WORSE. So I kept to eating salads and green beans and such for breakfast, and ate fall kinds of meats and fish, berriesand nuts, and fresh vegies ( just no breads, starches and high starch vegeis) and kept my A1c to about 7.5 pretty good.

I've done a lot of readying and I will live a LC diet forever, and I'm teaching my kids how to cook low carb, even cakes and muffins and such. Basically replace wheat flour with nut flours and bran products. SOme are better than others but they ate cornmeal and bran pancakes with sunflower seeds this morning with out complaint!! Yes I'm shocked! Guess they are getting used to the higher protein and higher fiber foods. We dont use much sugar anymore either. ABout20% of what we used to use. When I am not on BYC I am on a low carb forum where the people are lovely and very helpful and sharing. Low carb is a journey but you would be most welcome as many of us have health issues of one sort or another.

oops I've gone on and on, so sorry-- I"ll elave it all as I do think it is worth something. PM me if you want the lc site.

 

[Laughing Raven]

Hi Arielle

Sounds good for the feed. And is this for the chicks or for the grown chickens too.? Is it better for them.? Is it just a summer time sort of thing or is it for all year round.? I've got several recipes for things like molt muffins and summer time treats and such. So odd to feed chickens meat from their brethren, kinda sounds a little cannibalistic, but, protein is protein.! lol We all need it to survive.

I stick to a low/no carb diet too. I also found out that that's what was the worst for me anda to be quite honest, I feel a lot better without it in my diet. When I eat them I just feel very heavy and the next day I'm bloated and uncomfortable. I also found I have to have yogurt every day for my stomach to work correctly. My neighbors mother makes me a special granola of mostly different kinds of seed, dried fruit and grains and I mix it up in my yogurt and have that and a boiled egg and I'm good for the day. Otherwise I stay away from fatty meat for the most part, although I do have to hav3e bacon or sausage on occasion lol. I usually eat lots of seafood, very lean meat and wild game like deer and that sort of stuff. Also, lots of veggies and salads and fruits. Don't get me wrong, I do have my cheat days and on those I will allow myself a little bit of sweets or something, but, even then I don't go crazy because it makes me feel sick.

The best thing I ever did is quit drinking soda. I had a 34 year habit of drinking soda pop and decided one day that I was done. That is was just too expensive and I really had no business drinking it in the first place because of my diabetes. It bothered me for about a week and then I was good to go. I drink a lot of tea, coffee, juice and water and feel a lot better and don't have as much skin problems as I did before. I've never had any sort of acne skin problems (it's those great norwegian and swedish genetics lol) but, I always dryness and terrible sunburn issues.

Anyway, I too tend to go on and on. lol My family is losing their fragile little minds because I won't shut up about the chickens I am getting so I'm glad I found this place.

Sincerely,
Jodi