Zinc poisoning in galvanized feeders

[cjpines]

With the plastic I was concerned about BHA and most of them don't say on the bottom if they are safe due to hot sun and coop leaking toxic chemicals in water.

Thank you I never thought about keeping them off the floor. Will do.

Update on my sick bird, Airabelle. First I want to thank you so much for all your expert advice. Took her to the vet, she examined her poop, seemed to be okay. She said she may have Marek's disease or lead poisoning. She has been vaccinated for Mareks, as we know, have nothing of lead around or in the coop area. All other birds are healthy.
She said possibly the bird was missed when vaccinating or she may be in the 5% that the vaccine didn't take.

She administered Hypericum which is an homeopathic herb for 3 days. If no improvement then chelation therapy for lead using medication for 2 weeks. It's expensive and not full proof.

I think we may put her down and not put her through the therapy as I've read it's hard on a chicken and can be fatal. If we put her down we will refrigerate her and take her to those centers to find out what the cause was.

Does anything make sense with the veterinarian's diagnosis to you?

 

[Speceider]

Did a project years ago on salt poisoning. All had galvanized waters and were sacrificed after 24 hr. Controls had elevated zinc levels in their brains...not toxic....but a longer time would have concerned me.

Clint

 

[cjpines]

Boy, that's quite interesting.

 

[Michael Apple]

I'm going to use only new galvanized water and feeders, if I find any chips or rust spots I will toss. If you use plastic be sure it's BHA approved. Yes, don't buy cheap plastic containers due to the fact if they get heated in hot summer sun or a hot coop with water they will leak toxic chemicals. Just like us, no plastic water containers in our car and not to Microwave with plastic.

High density polyethylene is safe such as the jar molds made by Little Giant/Miller. The bases are made of thick polystyrene which is also safe. Kuhl is another reputable manufacturer of poultry drinkers and feeders. Both are American companies. Buy Chinese products and expect toxic chemicals.

 

[cjpines]

Where would I find these companies?

 

[Michael Apple]

Where would I find these companies?

Miller: http://www.miller-mfg.com/PPL.html

Kuhl: http://www.kuhlcorp.com/cgi-bin/cp-app.cgi?pg=cat&ref=poultry

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I'm not much worried about the feeders & waterers but my pens are built next to my barn and the soil in them has been receiving runoff from the rusted tin roof for 45 years and I seem to have more young chickens die than is normal.

 

[cjpines]

Thank you, I've bookmarked these companies. Hope others will read your answers as many are in question about feeders and Zinc poisoning.

 

[Arizona Son]

Buy Chinese products and expect toxic chemicals.

Yeah, pretty much!

Miller: http://www.miller-mfg.com/PPL.html

Kuhl: http://www.kuhlcorp.com/cgi-bin/cp-app.cgi?pg=cat&ref=poultry

Wow, thanks for the kuhl corp link! I've not seen their stuff before and never knew about them before seeing your link.




I feel compelled to add my 2 cents in here regarding the galvanized waterer controversy. As long as you dont use ACV or anything else that will react to the metals, you shouldnt have any problems. I have a horse that is worth more than a year's salary and he has been drinking out a galvanized metal water trough for 11 yrs now. Most of my coops use the Miller Manuf. 5 gallon plastic waterers, but I do have some of my Bantams drinking exclusively out of a galvanized one and have seen no issues whatsoever. Also, their fertility is among the highest of any of my birds, if that makes any difference or anybody was curious about it.

 

[cjpines]

Michael, hurray for posting. We all need to know what to look for with feeders.