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Re: Water drinkers
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 8:52 am
by Murray
Devo1956 wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2026 12:48 am
To be honest i have never understood, putting clean water into dirty drinkers. Prevention always been with me, loft cleaned right through. Then i am happy, unil the next clean throuh the day.
Ah, but if a drinker looks a bit grubby, or a dropping has been in it I will wash the drinker.
I used to be forever scrubbing and bleaching drinkers, and never had so many health issues.
The water here is very pure and by changing the water regularly I'm keeping the canker trichomonas at a low level in the drinkers. The babies grow like mushrooms and obviously have robust immune systems.
Sometimes the drinkers look a little dusty, but the pigeons look awesome!
Re: Water drinkers
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 10:07 am
by Rdhd Danny
@devo yes it gets rough up here but I do believe it makes them better in the long run, we run our testing until October and start in the Feb so they definitely get some weather conditions to contend with
Re: Water drinkers
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 4:19 pm
by Tony-P-
Andy wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2026 8:01 am
Tony-P- wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2026 5:21 am
Andy wrote: Sun Jul 26, 2026 8:19 pm
I swill mine out and replace with fresh water twice a day. Apart from the occasional garlic or apple cider vinegar nothing else is ever added.
Thanks Andy, how often do you change from fresh water to Garlic to Apple Cider Vinegar ? is this during each week
No set routine Tony. Just when I feel they may need a bit of a boost. They are both natural products that help with many things. I don’t treat for anything and don’t feel the need to. Also with the occasional garlic I have no lice on any of the birds. I never get canker or respiratory problems.
How do you use the Garlic in the water do you make it yourself Andy
Re: Water drinkers
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 9:00 pm
by Buster121
Do you prick your garlic Andy
Re: Water drinkers
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 10:19 pm
by Andy
Buster121 wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2026 9:00 pm
Do you prick your garlic Andy
The way I do it Steve is probably against the way others would. I put 3 or 4 cloves of garlic that I’ve peeled into a 6 pint milk container and fill with water. All I do then is use that to fill the drinkers. After filling the drinkers I just top the bottle back up leaving the cloves in there. I may do this for up to a fortnight by which time it is getting quite strong and the cloves are starting to deteriorate. At this stage I just throw the cloves away and go back to fresh water. The birds don’t seem to worry about drinking the water even when it gets a bit strong. The first difference I see is a bigger drop of down feathers than normal while using the garlic. As said before I never get lice on the birds or trouble with red mite.
Re: Water drinkers
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2026 6:07 am
by Buster121
Andy wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2026 10:19 pm
Buster121 wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2026 9:00 pm
Do you prick your garlic Andy
The way I do it Steve is probably against the way others would. I put 3 or 4 cloves of garlic that I’ve peeled into a 6 pint milk container and fill with water. All I do then is use that to fill the drinkers. After filling the drinkers I just top the bottle back up leaving the cloves in there. I may do this for up to a fortnight by which time it is getting quite strong and the cloves are starting to deteriorate. At this stage I just throw the cloves away and go back to fresh water. The birds don’t seem to worry about drinking the water even when it gets a bit strong. The first difference I see is a bigger drop of down feathers than normal while using the garlic. As said before I never get lice on the birds or trouble with red mite.
Thanks mate
Re: Water drinkers
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2026 7:03 am
by Murray
Whereas I crush a clove of garlic, soak it for a couple of hours in lukewarm water then strain it out. Add cider vinegar and dilute to 6 litres.
Same results, different method.
Re: Water drinkers
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2026 7:51 am
by Buster121
Murray wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 7:03 am
Whereas I crush a clove of garlic, soak it for a couple of hours in lukewarm water then strain it out. Add cider vinegar and dilute to 6 litres.
Same results, different method.
I used to peel and prick mine
Re: Water drinkers
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2026 10:02 am
by Devo1956
Buster121 wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 7:51 am
Murray wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 7:03 am
Whereas I crush a clove of garlic, soak it for a couple of hours in lukewarm water then strain it out. Add cider vinegar and dilute to 6 litres.
Same results, different method.
I used to peel and prick mine
I would do the Same buster, i you want the garlic to come through.
Re: Water drinkers
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2026 8:08 pm
by Tony-P-
Some great tips and different methods of how you all use the Garlic with the birds
