Chicken bald back

[Guest]

I notice that a lot of people have a water butt collecting rainwater from WIR roofs, my first thought was very sensible idea I must do that when we move house.

 

Could the water in the butt be used for the chickens drinking water or not? I would assume not as it is not fresh but then my chooks like nothing better than drinking filthy water

[Ain't Nobody Here]

The contents of my water butt would be a health hazard . I really just use it to collect the water off the roof so as to keep me dry as I'm going in and out - it has a home-made overflow pipe which feeds into the plants nearby.

[Olly]

I use it sometimes for the hens, and haven't had any problems.

[Space Chick]

Knowing that my girls think that a manky puddle is the best drinking spot ever..... I'm quite sure you'll be fine

[Guest]

Thanks everyone

 

I guess if the butt contents smell or has things floating in it then use some common sense, same as if the roof is dirty then the water is just for the garden.

 

Thee current roof leaks so have some tubs catching the drips but also 3 proper drinkers with clean drinking water, guess which water the girls prefer to drink

 

[chickencam]

We have highly chlorinated tap water here so when it is raining a lot and the water butt is full of fairly fresh water we use it in their drinkers, I usually give the drinkers. Good scrub once a week and refill with tap water but for the rest of the week they get rain water.

 

Edited to say that you may find that like us you get more problems with algae growth in the drinkers when using the water from a water butt. I put the glugs through the dishwasher from time to time.

[Guest]

Thanks Chickencam I have lots of drinkers so they do get washed frequently. If only I could train the girls to wipe their beaks before using the drinker I am sure the water would stay clean for longer