How can I find my old pictures?

[Luvachicken]

I was just wondering if I can put poultry tonic into a metal drinker as I know that you can't put apple cider vinegar in one.

I'm finding my plastic drinkers are getting grubby even though I scrub them hard with a non-scratch washing up sponge.

I've bought scrubbing brushes too but none of them can get into the grooves of the red bit that they drink from. I find I can scrape some of the bits off with my nails but obviously I can't get my nails into the nooks and crannies the plastic drinkers have.

I was thinking of soaking the plastic drinkers in some bicarb to get them clean but the girls need something to drink from while they are soaking, and they are moulting quite badly at the moment so I don't want to take the tonic away.

Any other ideas for a spotless plastic drinker other than buying new ones ?

Thanks x

[Cat tails]

I use a toothbrush, that fits perfectly in the red ring from which they drink. Use a bit of vinegar to get rid of any lime scale. Pour in boiling water to kill off alge. If you fill the drinker with boiled water and let it cool, it will have far less alge then with non-boiled water.

It depends on the content of the tonic, if you can use it in a metal drinker. The acids from the vinegar corrodes the metal, so if the tonic is acidic, it will too.

[mullethunter]

How often do you clean the drinkers Luvachicken? I just use a washing up sponge which squishes into the red bit - wash it in a sink of hot soapy water and I’ve never had a problem keeping them clean (just the cheap plastic drinkers). Mine last until they get frozen too many times and go brittle.

[Natspringy]

My glub seems terrible for algae, will get boiling water in it tonibut.  Very useful!

Ooh hadn't thought of tonic for their moult, great idea thanks! Our fridge broke so it had to live in a cool box for a week do you think it would still be okay? 

I have a plastic drinker that seems pretty good to clean, when I bring it in at night I fill it with hot water then scrub with a tooth brush or sponge. Seems to be enough. The glub is trickier.

[Natspringy]

I think it's just vinegars with metal but I don't know for sure.

Otherwise back up plastic ones whilst the others soak? 

[The Dogmother]

Most poultry tonics are fine in metal drinkers

I clean all my feeders , drinkers, cat and dog bowls in the dishwasher each week, popping a cup of VIratec P on the top shelf to get it really clean. They are never algae-ified, get steam cleaned and it's all hygienic.

[mullethunter]

I’ve just put lifeguard tonic in my galvanised drinker for the new girls.

[Luvachicken]

 

On 05/10/2018 at 8:45 PM, Cat tails said:

I use a toothbrush, that fits perfectly in the red ring from which they drink. Use a bit of vinegar to get rid of any lime scale. Pour in boiling water to kill off alge. If you fill the drinker with boiled water and let it cool, it will have far less alge then with non-boiled water.

Don't know why I hadn't thought of using a toothbrush on it 

I don't have a dishwasher so can't clean them that way.

On 05/10/2018 at 9:07 PM, mullethunter said:

How often do you clean the drinkers Luvachicken? I just use a washing up sponge which squishes into the red bit - wash it in a sink of hot soapy water and I’ve never had a problem keeping them clean (just the cheap plastic drinkers). Mine last until they get frozen too many times and go brittle.

 I clean the plastic drinkers every other day.

I've just given them a good scrub and filled them with fresh poultry tonic but when I've finished working at school tomorrow I will sort out their metal drinker and then sort out their plastic ones.

Thanks for all your help 

 

[Luvachicken]

On 06/10/2018 at 11:37 AM, Natspringy said:

Ooh hadn't thought of tonic for their moult, great idea thanks! Our fridge broke so it had to live in a cool box for a week do you think it would still be okay? .

Ooer, I've never kept my tonic in the fridge, only ever kept it in my chicken cupboard in the kitchen.

 

[Cat tails]

7 minutes ago, Luvachicken said:

I don't have a dishwasher so can't clean them that way.

Me neither! 

[Lewis]

17 hours ago, Luvachicken said:

Ooer, I've never kept my tonic in the fridge, only ever kept it in my chicken cupboard in the kitchen.

 

Ditto

I think only Aunt Beryls probiotics need to go in the fridge.

[The Dogmother]

There's no need to keep any poultry tonics in the fridge. Mine are all just lined up by the outside tap.

[Luvachicken]

Gave the plastic drinkers a good scrub with a kitchen version of an electric toothbrush.

Still didn't get them as clean as I wanted though, although it did do the red bit better than I could.

Strangely, I could still get the other bits of green off with my nails.

I also checked the bottle of tonic and it says nothing about being kept in the fridge - but thanks for the replies saying it doesn't.

[Cat tails]

I would give them a soak in hot water (boiling from the kettle) with a good splash of vinegar. Mostlikely the alge is trapped in a buildup of scale. Which is harder to see on plastic, but definitely still there.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks Cat tails, I'll do that tomorrow 

[The Dogmother]

If you want to sterilise them, then a tub trug of water with some of this in it, and soak all your feeders and drinkers. I put it in the dishwasher when I am cleaning all the animal bowls etc

 

 

[Luvachicken]

I probably would have got them cleaner if I'd used bicarb on the brush - hubby poured me out Baking powder 

Will get some of that poultry disinfectant though, thanks Dogmother 

[mullethunter]

On 06/10/2018 at 7:12 PM, mullethunter said:

I’ve just put lifeguard tonic in my galvanised drinker for the new girls.

Hmm. Having seen the inside of that drinker when I cleaned and refilled it today perhaps it’s not a good idea to put lifeguard tonic in a galvanised drinker - it looks like there are quite bad rust spots all of a sudden.

Don’t keep any chicken stuff in the fridge.

I use virkon for all disinfection.

[Luvachicken]

Haven't got round to sorting out the metal drinker yet so perhaps won't use it with tonic now, but thanks for the update.

[ajm200]

Probably way too late to reply to this but a tip I learnt to shift algae from the rabbits bottles might help with the plastic drinkers.

Give them a good scrub with plenty of bicarbonate of soda and a brush. The bicarbonate is mildly abrasive so will shift quite a bit.   Before rinsing with water, pour on plenty of white vinegar.  The bubbling action helps to shift inaccessible bits.  Finally soak in very hot water and rinse 

[Luvachicken]

Thanks for that ajm200.

I've just bought a great 'flannel' from the garden centre - made from recycled cotton.

It feels a bit like a crunchy flannel and has done a good job in getting the drinkers clean so far.

I imagine with a bit of bicarb and vinegar they will be even better.

[Cat tails]

When trying to shift scale, mixing the vinegar with bicarb is pointless as the two will just react with each other.

[Luvachicken]

On 1/3/2019 at 5:53 PM, Cat tails said:

When trying to shift scale, mixing the vinegar with bicarb is pointless as the two will just react with each other.

Makes a good volcano though 

[Cat tails]

Definitely!!