Water changing in hot climate.

[ragingowl77]

We live in southern GA and give our chickens water with a gamma lid covered 5-gallon bucket with nipples. We have the bucket in our tarp covered run which is in the shaded part of our yard. However, with the humidity the temperature feels like upper 90's to low 100's many days (out of the shaded area, but still gets warm in the run). We're trying to figure out is we should just keep topping the water off daily, or if the plastic will leech into the water due to the heat and humidity, leading to it needing to be changed at times. I've read people say you just top the water off, but I didn't see anybody from southern states comment. Would it be the same, or should we change the water out?

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

I live in Wisconsin and it has been in the high 90s and lower 100s. I usally fill there waters up in the morning then the smaller waterer i dump out and refill. The bigger 2 i just top off. I also add watermelon and ice to there run throughout the day.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm in FL (Panhandle) Days this week have been mid to high 90s, heat indexes all triple digits.

There is NO concern of plastic leaching from food grade buckets over any reasonable time scale.

I dump my water and change several times daily. So the birds have cool water to help with heat management, not because of concerns with toxins.

and its a pain in the ___. A couple automatically refill from 275 gal polytotes, where the temp of the bulk water is closer to 80 whan whatever it reaches in the auto-fill bowls sitting in the sun all day. But I also have three plastic buckets (one 5 gal, two 2? gal) that get dumped and refilled and carried back where they belong. I really need to dig another water line.

 

[Beaker99]

I'm in southern Missouri and similar weather. I fill the bucket in the morning and then give them a block of ice in a tub as a second source. They've been ok so far.

 

[Brooks_]

I'm in north central Fla. I top off or refill the waterers each morning. All I am really available to do. Their set up is in deep shade though.

 

[3KillerBs]

I dump out the waterers and refill them every couple days year round.

IF it were getting over 100F actual, not "feels like" but actual, I might refill extra times to cool it off. But in our normal summer weather with the waterers in deep shade I don't -- in part because I work and can't.

 

[Acre4Me]

My smaller ones get dumped and refreshed daily. Sometimes they get refreshed in the afternoon when the whole run is shaded so they have cool water to drink the rest of the afternoon, evening -particularly in very hot weather.

My large one (6.5 gallon plastic chicken waterer with large tray) sits on blocks, always in the shade. I dump, scrub out, rinse and refresh it every few days. Otherwise the chickens seem to avoid it after about 2 days. In high heat I may dump and refresh bc ambient temps so high that the water is quite warm, despite the shade. Alternatively, I’ll add large ice cubes to the tray if I’ve recently refreshed that waterer.

Overall, providing them with cool fresh water is the main goal. I have found if they avoid water then they slow/stop egg production. They dislike warm/hot water, and will drink very little. When they are too hot and hide from the heat, they don’t drink either. Refreshing their water makes many of Them come check it out and invariable take a drink!

 

[Lor]

We have an old refrigerator in the garage. I use small food containers to make ice blocks and keep them in the freezer there. In the morning I clean and refill one of the waterers and place an ice block inside. A few hours later I clean and refill a second waterer and place an ice block in that one. They also have a pail I can toss an ice block in.
These containers have come in handy. I fill them right back up and place in the freezer so there is always some ice to use. (I have six of them)

 

[Acre4Me]

We have an old refrigerator in the garage. I use small food containers to make ice blocks and keep them in the freezer there. In the morning I clean and refill one of the waterers and place an ice block inside. A few hours later I clean and refill a second waterer and place an ice block in that one. They also have a pail I can toss an ice block in.
These containers have come in handy. I fill them right back up and place in the freezer so there is always some ice to use. (I have six of them)

I just recently bought the large silicone ice cube molds from Walmart, they make a large square (2”?) cube. Ive been looking for sone inexpensive silicone cake pans for this purpose, but no luck so far. The larger blocks of ice are very helpful!!

 

[BigIsland]

I just recently bought the large silicone ice cube molds from Walmart, they make a large square (2”?) cube. Ive been looking for sone inexpensive silicone cake pans for this purpose, but no luck so far. The larger blocks of ice are very helpful!!

These are the biggest silicone moulds I could find (so far):
On Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Souper-Cubes...6011984&sprefix=ice+block+moul,aps,219&sr=8-9
Or the same on sale at Crate&Barrel:
https://www.crateandbarrel.com/souper-cubes-2-cup-double-pack/s483305

Hope that helps