Waterer breeds mosquitoes.

[HenOnAJuneBug]

You could pour some vegetable oil into the top so that it floats on top of the water. Might make a mess, but it should get rid of mosquitoes.

A Safe Way to Kill Mosquitoes: A Tablespoon of Oil
https://www.kveo.com/weather/weather-talk/a-safe-way-to-kill-mosquitoes-a-tablespoon-of-oil/

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Great idea! Just don't panic when your chickens' poo looks oily!

 

[Xerocles]

I use a 4 ft length of 4 inch PVC, with a glued cap on the bottom and a loose cap on the top. I have "Backyard flock drinking cups". I take one gallon of water every morning when I open the coop, to top it off. The only drawback I have ever seen is, despite what the company says, where the cup screws into the PVC, it tended to leak. A little silicon helped that.
Of course, I haven't wintered it over yet, so we'll see how that goes.

 

[imnukensc]

No leaks, no skeeters, clean it a couple times per year, and only need to add water every few weeks for 5 chickens.

 

[Mimi13]

Your title caught my eye. I have a waterer like that and it is the only one I have that ALWAYS gets mosquito larvae in it. I would have to dump it every day in order to keep the larvae out and that kind of defeats the purpose for me having it. The ebb and flow of the vacuum brings the larvae in where they hatch. I think the oil will help. I’m gonna try it. I hate mosquitoes.

 

[mixedbreeds]

I use this one it’s a 3 gallon I have 6 of them they work great. You do need to put the little cap on to fill than take off and open lid till you fill the pan then tighten the lid and it works automatically till water is gone never had a problem with it or bugs.

 

[Mimi13]

View attachment 1894484 I use this one it’s a 3 gallon I have 6 of them they work great. You do need to put the little cap on to fill than take off and open lid till you fill the pan then tighten the lid and it works automatically till water is gone never had a problem with it or bugs.

This one IS the exact waterer I have and I too have the larvae problem.

 

[tn_artist]

You sure they're mosquitos and not drain flies?
Either way, the only thing to help a waterer that large would be mosquito dunks.
They are safe for water consumption and they work.
A whole one would be overkill, you can quarter the dunk and get four treatments from 1 dunk.

Can you find them at TCS?

 

[tn_artist]

This one IS the exact waterer I have and I too have the larvae problem.

Do you find them as irritating as I do?

 

[tn_artist]

Why not buy a smaller waterer and just fill it with fresh water every day?

We bought these so we could go out of town and not put too much work on our very kind neighbor who watches all our critters for us.