I was looking for validation as to whether water should smell "funky" or as I said, "sewagy". I myself would not drink that crap. I'm not around on a daily basis so I don't clean them out daily. But every time that I do clean them out they smell! They are the "tray" kind, you know the outer ring with a center reservoir per se. I do not use any bleach or soap or such b/c I'm sure that would freak out their owner. I just scrub them down really really good with a rag. It takes some time but I don't mind.
When I asked her how often she's cleaning them she said "almost daily". Hmn...argument brewing. Her logic is that they smell bad because that's what chickens do! I can't win against that. I don't even wanna counter it anymore. Whatever.
But I thought I'd ask some more objective unbiased and unemotionally involved parties. Thanks all!
I was interested in those nipple waterers but she was not. They are not "natural" for a how chickens drink out in the wild. Well, okay.
I confess to not reading every post yet.
Are the water dishes at ground level or up on blocks?
When I had ducks they made a nasty mess out of their water in minutes. Their water had a bit of an odor if I let it go 48 hours. I had to clean theirs twice a day.
I do not have that issue with the chickens water dishes at all. So I would say no it should not smell like sewage at all.
It sounds like she is not actually cleaning them but may be topping them up instead.