Water and mosquito larva

[SassyCatHill]

I use a three gallon waterer that continually gets mosquito larva in it, is there anything you can put in the water to stop this that wouldn't be harmful to the chickens?

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

I would just clean it out every day. I have a two gallon for my chickens and I put fresh water in every day and do a deep scrubbing once per week (on the weekends). I've never seen any larvae in there...with my horses, I have a 125 gallon trough and I scrub that out once per week & I have two goldfish in there...never seen any larvae in there, either....

 

[spook]

Add a drop of bleach or two, for the 3 gallons. This will be less chlorine then you could smell or taste, but it will kill larva. Good luck!

 

[SassyCatHill]

Thank you both for your help. I would like to change the water every day but sometimes it just doesn't work out.
I only have a few chickens so 3 gallons would last them several days if the larva didn't hatch. I'll try the bleach idea.

 

[Year of the Rooster]

You could try putting some guppies in there, or even mosquito fish. They will feed on the larva, hence the name. Or, if you have a fish tank, net out the larva when you clean the water, rinse them in a fine net or strainer, then feed them to your fish. They won't last long in the tank and will get eaten before they can grow up. Hope this helps

 

[Akane]

Apple cider vinegar will help keep down mosquitos but I dunno it's effects on chickens. It's usually considered helpful to most animals but will at least impact calcium absorbtion negatively. Actually a good thing with horses and other grazing animals being fed alfalfa which is too high in calcium for them.

 

[AnthonyT]

I give my chicken apple cider vinegar in their water every 5 days or so and it dosen't hurt them. Seems I was reading in one of the pastured poultry books that one guy keeps it in the water at all times, at least for the chicks. I'd have to go back and try to find it. I have a feeling that guppies wouldn't last to long in the waterer. The chickens would most likely eat them.

 

[chicksinthemachine]

The bleach wil work but I'm not sure if it has harmful effects and the chickens or eggs? You could also emty the waterer as often as possivble with a hose or brush I do mine every 2-3 days and so far so good. Dump the old water away from the pen though.

 

[treeclimber233]

mosquito larva need 7-10 days before they hatch into the adult form. As long as you empty\\clean the container at least once a week you will not have any adults emerge.

 

[dangerouschicken]

Mosquito Dunks are supposed to be safe for livestock. Not sure if that includes chickens, but I would think so, as you can use them safely in birdbaths.