Under a "Boil Order" how does this apply to all my chickens?

[Jquigs76]

We were put on a boil order by our water district recently. Meaning that we have to boil all water that will be consummed in anyway {drinking, cooking, even brushing teeth} Our chickens go thru about 15 gallons of water a day {5 gallons 3 times a day} with it being hot and just cause there are a lot of them. I continue to get conflicting answers to my questions so I figured I would ask on here. Do I need to be boiling the water for them as well as ourselves?? Answers I have gotten have vaied from yes absolutely to they scratch around and poop in their waterers anyway so no.

I am currently boiling water for them {cause that's just me} but let me tell you I feel like all I'm doing is boiling water.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks!!

 

[fried green eggs]

IDK but, I'd boil water too.

 

[duckinnut]

First of all I would call the water district and see why they issued the order. After finding out what is up I would contact a state livestock biologist or a aggie college biologist and get their take on the contaminate. Fifteen gallons is a lot to be boiling in sweltering temps. Seeing what chickens eat and drink from the nastiest puddles even though there is nice clean water nearby, personally I wouldn't be overly concerned. Most boil water orders are usually a detection of fecal matter even on the smallest of scale.

 

[dainerra]

I wouldn't worry about it either. Here, we get boil orders all the time. The lines are old so every leak = boil water. As said above, chickens will skip over a clean bucket of water to drink from a standing ooze of mud. Plus, have you seen the nasty stuff they are eating?