# Bleach to keep birds healthy?



## GimpieLover (Dec 18, 2005)

I was looking around the internet and i came across this site that said to add 1 cap full of non-scented bleach per gal. of drinking water once or twice a week to keep birds healthy. This just didn't sound right, so i wanted to ask you guys.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Different people will have different views, I expect, but I have come across people who use it for bird baths (not just pigeons).

I put a teaspoon of plain, thin bleach in a gallon about twice a week for my balcony ferals' bath. 

John


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

GimpieLover said:


> I was looking around the internet and i came across this site that said to add 1 cap full of non-scented bleach per gal. of drinking water once or twice a week to keep birds healthy. This just didn't sound right, so i wanted to ask you guys.


Well, you read right. There are pigeon fanciers who swear by using bleach in the water. I tried it, didn't like it........no particular reason......I mean it didn't hurt the birds, but, there's just something about bleach in water than I can't get my mind wrapped around.....so, needless to say, I don't use it anymore. 
I've seen articles that tell you to use it and why and it made perfect sense. Then I've read articles that tell you NOT to use it, and they made sense too!!  
I think there's plenty of other things that you can put in the water and keep your birds healthy. I personally will pass on the bleach........


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## GimpieLover (Dec 18, 2005)

I can see cleaning things with bleach, but to drink it just sounded bad. I made my flight cage twice as big now just as a side note =) There is still more to do for the loft area but its coming together quite nicely.


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

Hey, I believe we have had another thread on this and I do not use bleach... Kinda creaps me out if You think about it. But I do know some that do it too.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

I have a friend who has a lot of rollers and he swears by using bleach. A few years back he wrote out a list for me of the things he uses/does to maintain his birds and said he knew it sounded crazy to use bleach but he believes in it.

We only use ACV and probiotics on a regular basis cause I'm kind like Renee in that I can't get my mind wrapped around using it either.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

I know many fanciers use it, but as many of you have said, I don't like the idea. I think you get just as much benefit from scrubbing your water containers with hot water and soap daily and using apple cider vinegar in the drinking water several times a week. I know that _I_ would not want to drink water that had bleach in it--it's like drinking heavily chlorinated water--yecch.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Birdmom4ever said:


> I know many fanciers use it, but as many of you have said, I don't like the idea. I think you get just as much benefit from scrubbing your water containers with hot water and soap daily and using apple cider vinegar in the drinking water several times a week. I know that _I_ would not want to drink water that had bleach in it--it's like drinking heavily chlorinated water--yecch.


That's why I could never put it in the water. The smell.......ick.....of course I think ACV in the water stinks too, but somehow that's different.


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## Snowbird Sue (Dec 31, 2007)

*Bleach VRS ACV.......*

Hi all, I must agree with Renee. I use bleach to clean with, and just couldn't get used to the idea of putting it in the drinking water. The ACV, now, that is a different story!  I use that in cooking, so it seemed more "normal" I guess. Hey, if only it was that easy for us, you know?  I, myself, also use the ACV.... Snowbird Sue


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

bleeching is clorine or similar to chlorine and is used to destroy pathogens in the water. If you are using bleeching you must use it daily and in small doses to be 100% effective. it takes only 1 sip of infected water to cause the birds to get sick


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

I once talked to a Park Ranger at a beautiful backwoods state or national park in Arkansas. He told and showed me where they were treating the water that came from a beautiful stream there with Clorox on a regular basis. There was a chemical pump to inject it in the water stream (in the piping). He said it was the cheapest and simplest thing to use, hands down. There are times here in Tulsa when the water smells of chlorine pretty bad--you really notice it when you're taking a hot bath. I've recently heard that chlorine that's breathed in is far more dangerous than chlorine that's ingested. Apparently, it's because lung tissue is far more irritated by it than gastrointestinal tissue.

I don't use the stuff on my birds, either, but I note it's use amongst others.

Pidgey


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