Unsure how long chickens have gone with H2O

[Lorije1]

I certainly don't change mine everyday... but I do check it in the morning and again in the evening. If I am out and about I will top it off if it needs it mid-day. We are already at 100* for the heat index, so I am a little paranoid about their water running dry!

 

[catdaddy66]

I built larger waterers specifically to NOT have to change it daily! But I do know that the birds prefer cool water to warm. I hope I don't sound as if I am whining, but I work very hard and am looking at labor saving management of the flock to make my evening more pleasurable! I am not lazy and will always do what needs doing, but some days...

My son has severe 'tude when I ask him to help out. My wife has trouble w/ high heat and humidity. I am left alone

My birds are doing well and are quite healthy and behave normally so I think all is well.

 

[yotetrapper]

Dude, who cares if your son has an attitude. MAKE him help out. Or move out, one.

 

[FiveHens]

I can see through my waterer...it's 3 gallons sitting on cinderblocks and I DON'T change it daily. By any means. I slosh water out to make sure there's fresh in the bottom, but I refill it only 1-2 times/week. Is that bad??? Will they get infected or something?
We only have 4 chickens, BTW. They don't drink that much.

 

[westernmainecoop]

If any water outside sits too long, here come the mosquitoes. Atleast around here.
My adult chickens as well as my 7 week old chicks all come to get a drink of the fresh stuff when it gets changed. They appreciate it no doubt. The big picture for me is happy chickens(hopefully = higher quality eggs). I need a waterboy that delivers high quality H2O!
Hey trapper I told my 10 year old to go water the birds and get the eggs or else he has to go live with you! JK.
CATDADDY, It is hard to get him and his younger brother to do it every day, morning and night but it is rewarding watching them learn the benefits of keeping healthy chickens. The decision gets a little easier for him if he loses T.V. or video game privileges for not doing his share of the chores needing to be done around here.

 

[Gypsi]

I have a cut off gallon tea jug in the coop that I can check the level on from the house. It's small enough they don't climb in and dirty it up, large enough that it was enough for a day when they were smaller. And I built a 5 gallon waterer with a big flowerpot bowl for a basin, too narrow for a perch and potty session. Neither of mine are under perches, so they stay pretty clean. I can go 2 days sometimes without filling. I rinse out the basin on the 5 gallon when the bucket gets low enough to tip over. (there's a lid on my bucket, but the basin is deep and rounded, so when the bucket gets low, I can visibly see it from the house. It's at a 40 degree angle)

 

[chickadeedeedee]

here mildew is a big problem so I do change my chickies 2/3 gallon waterer daily. It seems that if water sits out even just over night during the summer mildew starts forming on the sides both inside the container and on the drinking tray also. Same thing with our birdbath. I do know also that my chickies also drink out of the kiddos (dogs) water bowls (several around the yard for them when they are outside) as well as our fishpond.

ps. I also change the kiddos water dishes daily.

 

[ChooksChick]

In science class in 8th grade my teacher took a still 3 gallon jar of water and very gently dripped one drop of food coloring on the top on the side so it dribbled in slowly. The jar was left untouched and yet it was ALL BLUE the next day. This was to demonstrate that liquid is not going to remain unadultered even if still...

The reason you change your birds' water each day is so that the bacteria that comes off of their beaks, or can occur from the food they drop in it as they drink, etc., etc., ISN'T left to multiply and spread throughout the waterer over time like that blue dye. Bacteria multiplies very quickly. Would YOU want to drink warm water everyone you saw today put their face in?

The failure to change water daily can put your birds in the position to transfer disease when they might otherwise resist low bacterial counts. It puts them in a stressed state if it's warm out, because the bacteria breeds faster.

Don't leave it until it's just awful! This is more important than you think.

 

[Gypsi]

Except for bacteria from the chickens beaks, or straw that gets kicked in, I think my watering system is pretty safe. It is all bleachable. And I wash it out when it looks or feels like it needs it. (slimy)

 

[Laurie's Silkies]

Every morning I turn on the hose and use my hand mop and wipe out my 2 1 gallon waterers good, add 2 tablespoons ACV to each and fill them to the top. I keep 1 in the coop and one in the chicken yard. Every morning they are rinsed out and filled whether they need it or not. I chose to have chickens and penned them up, so it's up to me to give them the best care possible. every morning they love that cold fresh drink !!!