The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: WoodlandsDevon on May 20, 2014, 09:38:18 pm

Title: Any advice on stopping drinkers going green with algae?
Post by: WoodlandsDevon on May 20, 2014, 09:38:18 pm

I have a small mushroom drinker for chicks in my brooder. It gets green with algae very quickly because it's warm in there and also goes smelly and off in no time. It's also very hard to wash it off every time you fill it up. Anyone got any advice on how to stop this? Is there anything I can put in the water to stop it?
Thanks

Title: Re: Any advice on stopping drinkers going green with algae?
Post by: shygirl on May 20, 2014, 11:42:56 pm

we used the small plastic ones and found them really easy to clean, just used a kitchen washing up brush. cheap to buy too.
fresh water is a must for young chicks
is yours metal?

ours are similar to this
http://www.medicanimal.com/product?product_id=204246&locale=en_GB&ptc=googlebase&utm_source=uk_googlebase&utm_medium=uk_googlebase&utm_campaign=uk_googlebase&CAWELAID=720013290000013802&gclid=CjkKEQjw-uubBRDs6rqExIXy7ZsBEiQACq4Fqa2cyQ9YHFzWFBF3_jJnfzxM96rZWan3ajgE0TI5Z-7w_wcB (http://www.medicanimal.com/product?product_id=204246&locale=en_GB&ptc=googlebase&utm_source=uk_googlebase&utm_medium=uk_googlebase&utm_campaign=uk_googlebase&CAWELAID=720013290000013802&gclid=CjkKEQjw-uubBRDs6rqExIXy7ZsBEiQACq4Fqa2cyQ9YHFzWFBF3_jJnfzxM96rZWan3ajgE0TI5Z-7w_wcB)

Title: Re: Any advice on stopping drinkers going green with algae?
Post by: chrismahon on May 21, 2014, 07:56:35 am

We have many drinkers and just keep replacing them as soon as they get dirty, which may be 4 times a day or more. Then wash them all at the same time and start again. Once the chicks are in a larger area the water can be away from the heat a bit so then it might only be changed twice a day.

Title: Re: Any advice on stopping drinkers going green with algae?
Post by: Marches Farmer on May 21, 2014, 04:21:25 pm

This is the reason I sold my plastic drinkers years ago.  I just swish the water around the reservoir at the bottom of my galvanised ones and throw it out when I fill up each day.  I do a thorough scrub out every month.

Title: Re: Any advice on stopping drinkers going green with algae?
Post by: lord flynn on May 21, 2014, 05:34:18 pm

I think chicken drinkers are the biggest waste of time ever ;) for adults I either use buckets they can stand on the lip on if they need to-or those shallow, small trigs-i just swoosh them around with a washing up brush and refill daily. I have some galvanised pen drinkers that I use clipped on as soon as they've got around to not drowning themselves and I use a shallow dish before then with stones in. plastic ones are annoying to clean and fill up.