Putting a piece of Copper in water to stop Algae growth?

[Ironsights]

How much ACV per gallon?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Vinegar WILL reduce algae!

Chlorine bleach will reduce algae better than ACV, and for a hen to lay she needs chlorine. In fact a hen has such a high need for Chlorine that if she doesn't get enough chlorine in her diet she is well equipped to manufacture her own.

Zinc plated chicken drinking fountains will react with ACV and contaminate the water with metallic zinc. I did what some of you advocate up to 40 years ago but in the first instance the copper or copper sulfate in algicides are hard on a chicken's liver and in the second instance zinc is no better. Roll up your sleeves and change the water and scrub out the waterers and add some chlorine bleach.

 

[DigMyChicks]

which vinegar? ACV pasturized or ACV raw, unprocessed. i'm certainly not going to buy Bragg's ($$$$$), but i have seen that Heinz has gallons of unprocessed at a much lower price.

I use ACV Heinz with the mother...2 T per gallon, it's kind of spendy @$4.25 a quart at Walmart.

 

[zubarsky]

pre 1982 pennies are 100% Copper. 1982 are mixed and post '82 are zinc with copper on the outside.

 

[pibb]

Roll up your sleeves and change the water and scrub out the waterers and add some chlorine bleach.

I have city water and change the water every day. No algae here. Don't put too much chlorine. We are talking something like 3 drops per gallon of water, not tablespoons or teaspoons.

In fact a hen has such a high need for Chlorine that if she doesn't get enough chlorine in her diet she is well equipped to manufacture her own.

I haven't heard of this. Where did this come from?

 

[TheFunkyChickenChickFarm]

we hadA friend recently told me that you can put a piece of copper in your water and it will help stop algae from growing. I tried looking it up on google but couldn't find anything specifically about it. Has anyone else heard of doing this? Does it work? Could it pose any health risks to chickens?

We grew up drinking out of copper pipes for years as long as they are new and playing copper with no zinc inside it shouldn't be an issue heck you can even use a penny until the copper wears off and it's just sink. Use fresh solid copper 3 to 5-in pieces and you should be fine

A friend recently told me that you can put a piece of copper in your water and it will help stop algae from growing. I tried looking it up on google but couldn't find anything specifically about it. Has anyone else heard of doing this? Does it work? Could it pose any health risks to chickens?

 

[MIchickenlady]

I have read the pennies you use to keep algae away need to be pre-1982 pennies?

 

[ryneaeiel]

I have read the pennies you use to keep algae away need to be pre-1982 pennies?

That's correct! It's due to the metals that are used to make the pennies. Pre-1982 pennies are mainly composed of copper, which is what keeps the algae and biofilm from growing. Post-1982 pennies are mainly composed of zinc and won't work to prevent biofilm growth.

 

[chickentrains]

apple cider vinegar keeps away algae and has health benifets for chickens

 

[YvetteLafumeuse]

Scientifically it could work

Scientifically? Citations, please.