Smelly Brooder Water

[Biddieacres]

I have been changing the brooder water at least 3 times a day and each time I do the smell is horrible. I guess this is normal for stagnant water in a 90 degree box. Is there anything I can do? Also, Could anyone tell me how often should I be completely cleaning out the shavings? I read about the deep litter method and was wondering if I could do this or should I completely clean the shaving out.

 

[ticks]

My pheasant water has been doing this as well. I have 26 pheasant in the brooder and it smells so bad. But, for my chicken chicks it never smelled and I only had 7. how many birds do you have? I think it may be them pooping in the waterer or something.

 

[Biddieacres]

I only have 7 chicks as well and the water does have a lot of pine shavings in it. (which I dump out all of the time) I put the water up on a wood block to stop the shaving from going in but they still do.

 

[Sparrow]

If pine shavings build up inside the reservoir it can really start to reek. I just scrub the inside of the water bottle and the reservoir with a plain scrub brush every time I empty the waterer, which is generally once or twice a day. After you scrub, just blast it out with hot water, and refill it cool water. If you do this, you shouldn't have any issues with stinky water.

 

[Cetawin]

Scrub the waterer well and refill adding apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon per gallon of water. Change it as you normally would. The vinegar will kill most bacteria in the water which often cause the smell and it will not hurt them to ingest it. It will help their digestion too.

 

[Biddieacres]

OK I will try that! Thanks.

 

[Wildsky]

If the babies are old enough to hop up - put that waterer higher, I had mine on a box, 3 inches high, there was place on top of the box for them to stand, and it was pushed into a corner, it was high enough that the shavings couldn't get into it.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Yes the vinegar does work! I read that in backyard poultry magazine

I used a little less vinegar since mine stopped drinking for a bit after I started adding it. Now they are fine but I add about 1/4 t less of it now.