water.....

[FarmerJamie]

Ok. I feel like the biggest "concern" I read about was soft shells but again it wasn't any particular vetted site, so I have a hard time grasping it as truth.

I will likely have to use inside conditioned water now through Mar, with a few days here and there over the next couple weeks with the outside water. I couldn't use it this morning as the outside one was not gonna happen.

I guess you could offer calcium supplements if you are concerned. I at times used crushed oyster shells. Only soft shell issues I had were right after molting

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

I guess you could offer calcium supplements if you are concerned. I at times used crushed oyster shells. Only soft shell issues I had were right after molting

They have access to flaked oyster shells and they own crushed shells if they need, so I think they should be ok. Thanks for the reminder about the calcium supplements though if needed.

 

[Alaskan]

If the water is safe for you to drink, then it is safe for the chickens.

 

[tortoise]

Low sodium diets are not good for chickens either! https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003257911954514X

I would not worry about it a bit. Worst case scenario, if you see soft shells you can switch them to grain instead of pellets to reduce their total sodium consumption.

 

[Hinotori]

I collect rainwater and snow when we have it. The chickens prefer it to my high iron well water.

I also have to unhook the hose once we really start freezing so it's hauling water from the house for me in the worst weather if its well or melted snow.

 

[Hinotori]

I don't know if polish are cunning like silkies. They figure out getting their heads wet slicks back their crest pretty quick. The overly large crests in silkies were introduced from polish being crossed in.

 

[Alaskan]

I was going to trim them up before it got too cold so their feathers on their crest didn't freeze.

Good idea

 

[Alaskan]

Of chickens? Leghorn, Barred Rock, Brahma, and Polish-which the Polish where a cave for DD7-they are not as winter hardy nor do they really lay enough eggs to pull their weight but she fell in love with their 'rockstar' hair-dos

Watch the feet on the Brahma if you get wet snow.

Wet snow will clump up on their toes because of those foot feathers.

You might need to clean feet every night.

If they sleep with toe ice balls it increases frost bite chance.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

stacked bales of straw/hay?

maybe I could source some of those...

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

During the coldest winter months, I used indoor water for my chickens with no issues for many years.

The spigot outside was not on the conditioner line. Did not use it Dec-Mar to prevent frozen pipe issues.

Ok. I feel like the biggest "concern" I read about was soft shells but again it wasn't any particular vetted site, so I have a hard time grasping it as truth.

I will likely have to use inside conditioned water now through Mar, with a few days here and there over the next couple weeks with the outside water. I couldn't use it this morning as the outside one was not gonna happen.