Waterer breeds mosquitoes.

[tn_artist]

Hi all,
I bought an awesome 5 gallon waterer and wanted another. When I returned to the store they were out. The one I wanted looks like a trash can, with a wide lid. All you do is fill it up and put the lid on. You have to make sure it's level though.
The one I got second is a mess. It is bell shaped with a handle on top. To fill it, you have to screw a lid on the hole the water comes out, fill from the top, twist the handle really tight, take the plug off and loosen the top a bit at a time until the flow is right. Too much, it leaks out, too little, the birds don't get water. I have to adjust it every day, with the change of the vacuum, so they get water. I hate it.
Even worse, every time I open it, little mosquitoes are flying around the inside and there is larvae in the water. I watched and the larvae come in from the drinking trough. I'm considering getting another waterer like the first, but this one was pretty expensive. Does anyone know how I can keep the mosquitoes from laying eggs in the water? We have too many as it is! Opening the lid and having 30 baby mosquitoes fly up is awful.

 

[ValerieJ]

Hi all,
I bought an awesome 5 gallon waterer and wanted another. When I returned to the store they were out. The one I wanted looks like a trash can, with a wide lid. All you do is fill it up and put the lid on. You have to make sure it's level though.
The one I got second is a mess. It is bell shaped with a handle on top. To fill it, you have to screw a lid on the hole the water comes out, fill from the top, twist the handle really tight, take the plug off and loosen the top a bit at a time until the flow is right. Too much, it leaks out, too little, the birds don't get water. I have to adjust it every day, with the change of the vacuum, so they get water. I hate it.
Even worse, every time I open it, little mosquitoes are flying around the inside and there is larvae in the water. I watched and the larvae come in from the drinking trough. I'm considering getting another waterer like the first, but this one was pretty expensive. Does anyone know how I can keep the mosquitoes from laying eggs in the water? We have too many as it is! Opening the lid and having 30 baby mosquitoes fly up is awful.

I would suggest using smaller waterers and changing the water every day if you have a mosquito problem. In my run I have 5 different water sources instead of one big one. It means all chickens can get to water at any time, and the run is large so it means there is water nearby wherever they are. We have mosquitoes here because we are right next to the river, but I never have them in my waterers.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Ooh, that's not good! And you don't have mosquitos with the 5-gal waterer? Will you post a pic of that one? We just water ours in an open bucket and have never seen mosquitos in it.

 

[Chickassan]

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.

 

[tn_artist]

Ooh, that's not good! And you don't have mosquitos with the 5-gal waterer? Will you post a pic of that one? We just water ours in an open bucket and have never seen mosquitos in it.

Love this one!

 

[slordaz]

that is odd but then again I use the rubber dishes and they are open, have several scattered around the yard and we are also right by the river, draw back there is I have to fill 2 tmes a day

 

[2 many chickens]

I use vinegar to help with issues like that. I just mix a little bit in there.

 

[SueT]

I put water in big dog bowls and change it every day or two.

 

[ellenscoop]

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

 

[Sequel]

I use buckets and dump them every day or two depending on how hot it is or how dirty they get it and never have mozzie larvae.