Tap water for chicks/ducklings/goslings

[RoboDuck]

I'm sure this has been discussed but I still have problems searching this forum. So I'll just have to risk annoying people by asking again. I got 8 Pilgrim goslings yesterday. We got them home and put them in the pool yard for their first outdoors on grass experience. It was a challenge keeping them from jumping in the pool. There is obviously way too much chlorine in a pool for goslings. So then it dawned on me that there is also chlorine in tap water. Sometimes we can smell it when we fill a bath if the county has recently freshened the chlorine supply to the water. We have had quite a few inexplicable deaths this spring. We have lost about a dozen ducklings and a few goslings. And these were very sudden, no warning sign type deaths. Is it possible the chlorine levels in our county water is high enough to do them harm?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm sure this has been discussed but I still have problems searching this forum. So I'll just have to risk annoying people by asking again. I got 8 Pilgrim goslings yesterday. We got them home and put them in the pool yard for their first outdoors on grass experience. It was a challenge keeping them from jumping in the pool. There is obviously way too much chlorine in a pool for goslings. So then it dawned on me that there is also chlorine in tap water. Sometimes we can smell it when we fill a bath if the county has recently freshened the chlorine supply to the water. We have had quite a few inexplicable deaths this spring. We have lost about a dozen ducklings and a few goslings. And these were very sudden, no warning sign type deaths. Is it possible the chlorine levels in our county water is high enough to do them harm?

I have no scientific data to back me up but I would not drink water with chlorine in it nor give it to my animals. Thank goodness we're on a well and also have a spring. Or I'd be buying bottled water.

 

[RoboDuck]

Bottled water for the babies is the plan now. I've been drinking county water so long it's just second nature. It never occurred to me that we might be killing the little ones with it. The chicks have done fine but ducklings and goslings seem to be more sensitive to such stuff.

 

[MeepBeep]

The amount of chlorine in municipal tap water is very low and should not harm most animals in normal usage (beyond aquatic ones like fish and amphibians), but if you are really concerned go to a pet store and get some aquarium water conditioner, fill a garbage can with water and dose that garbage can of water and use that to water them or as you said use bottled water... Chlorine removal conditioners produce near instant chlorine removal and leave only a minute amount of ammonia behind (many of the fish tank conditioners even remove the ammonia as part of the reaction as well) the amount of ammonia left behind is insignificant, far less then when they poop in the water dish...

You can also contact you local water company and inquire if they use chlorine or chloramine if they use old fashioned chlorine (few do anymore) you can just fill a buck and let it sit for 24 hours and all the chlorine will evaporate, chloramine is a little harder to get out, the bucket will have to sit for weeks and/or have lots of sun exposure for several days so the UV can break down the chloramine... That is why most people use conditioners now...

Also you can remove the chlorine with an activated charcoal filter but again these filters are much more effective against old fashioned chlorine then they are against the chloramine they use nowadays... To get rid of chloramine with activated charcoal you need long exposure time, no full on tap more like a trickle with most filters...

 

[Chris09]

I'm sure this has been discussed but I still have problems searching this forum. So I'll just have to risk annoying people by asking again. I got 8 Pilgrim goslings yesterday. We got them home and put them in the pool yard for their first outdoors on grass experience. It was a challenge keeping them from jumping in the pool. There is obviously way too much chlorine in a pool for goslings. So then it dawned on me that there is also chlorine in tap water. Sometimes we can smell it when we fill a bath if the county has recently freshened the chlorine supply to the water. We have had quite a few inexplicable deaths this spring. We have lost about a dozen ducklings and a few goslings. And these were very sudden, no warning sign type deaths. Is it possible the chlorine levels in our county water is high enough to do them harm?

Anything is possible. best thing to do is get a test kit and test the water..
If it is high you can install a "whole house" water filter or get a hose on filter.


Hose on filter

 

[RoboDuck]

I just tried to check my county's water website but I don't see where they list the chemicals they use. I'll have to call them later when I am home. I'm still not sure it's anything to worry about but for the really young ones we'll just buy the really cheap bottled water. All I do know is that at times when we fill our tub, it smells like a public swimming pool in our bathroom.

 

[Chris09]

No need for all that roboduck, just go to Lowe's and pick up a test.
PurTest White Water Test Kit

• 1 test each for bacteria, lead, pesticides
• 2 test each for chlorine, copper, iron, hardness, alkalinity, pH, nitrates, nitrites

http://www.lowes.com/pd_97428-76109-777_0__?productId=3104487

 

[MeepBeep]

but for the really young ones we'll just buy the really cheap bottled water.

if you insist on bottled water around me you can't beat the 29 cent gallon refills at Walmart, spend the $1 on the initial bottle of the cheapest water you can fine, peal off the label and use it for the 29 cent refills... But, if you use the filtered RO water you might find it best to dose the water with electrolytes/vitamins as the RO water is near pure and missing the beneficial elements...

 

[Amiga]

I lean toward Chris09's approach - if you can check it at your tap, that answers more questions, I think. Accidents happen, perhaps occasionally more Cl gets put into the system than is benign.

Without a necropsy, I don't think one can be sure about the cause of death. I have seen a few articles about chlorine poisoning of amphibians and fish, and Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks mentions that the Cl damages gut bacteria in ducks (probiotics were recommended, if I recall).

When we lived in Ohio, we had a tiny pond and chlorinated city water. First thing I did was set out a refill bucket and let the tap water sit in that for 24 hours before adding it to the pond. Then I got a rain barrel.

 

[RoboDuck]

Thank you all for your help. I will be going to Lowe's this weekend for that test kit. It may very well mean the difference between county water and well when we finally have the money to install water at our new farm.