What to add to water and when?

[finchmix22]

I have read about so many different types of supplements and/or preventatives to mix with the water, I am confused. Is there a typical supplement and/or preventative we should keep mixing in the water, such as Probiotic daily? or a Vitamin daily or anything seasonally? I am not sure what to do to keep them healthy, but don't want to add the supplements daily if that can create a problem too.?? Help anyone?

[6finchfriends]

I don't add anything to the water unless I have a sick one. They get a varied food diet, good seed mix, and good calcium/mineral mix. I'm not expert though...

[monotwine]

Before you start adding anything to the water, you must remember that by doing so you are "force feeding" the birds. They MUST drink, so will take whatever you place in the water too. Over supplementing is as bad as under supplementing.

If you have a good varied seed and greens diet with supplements they can help themselves to then I would only add medication to the water if they are sick or going through quarantine.
The perfect set up is one where the birds get to pick what they need to ingest.

[debbie276]

Only thing I would add to my water is a medicine IF needed because of a sick bird.

[ac12]

I add 1 drop of ACV per 1 ounce of water.

[finchmix22]

What is ACV? I'm not good with these abbreviations yet.

[ac12]

Sorry, ACV = Apple Cider Vinegar.
I read various posts and articles that said it provided various macro nutrients ???? for the birds, and helps to keep the water clean by making it a bit more acidic.

[annague]

If your seeds are vitaminized or your giving a good soft-food that is vitaminized plus your egg food and greens then your birds are getting a good diet.

It is all very subjective -- everyone does something a little bit different but one thing for sure is you don't want to add any medication to your water unless you are treating all your birds for illness.

ACV is to acidify the water which improves digestion and helps (it is said) to prevent Megabacteria some people also add citric acid for the same purpose. Others add a water purifier to prevent an overgrowth of bacteria in the water or may add a calcium supplement during egg laying to increase calcium intake.

I add a water purifier to kill bacteria and colloidal silver (just a couple drops) which is supposed to support the immune system.

So... be careful what you add and know what you are adding it for and you will be fine!

[monotwine]

Oh one more precaution i forgot to mention
If you place anything in the water, to be safe, only add one thing at a time i.e. don't mix your additives if you don't know they are safe together and secondly at any point when you make additions to drinking water make sure your finches accept the new taste. If they refuse the water because it is not to their liking then you will have very dehydrated birds and they could die.

This all becomes quite a scary thing for a newbie, but just stick to the basics and give them good husbandry (varied diet and clean environment) and you will not need all the additives. Best wishes for you and your fids.

[Sally]

I agree with the others, anything added to the water is force-feeding, and I prefer to have supplements be free choice--if they want it, they will help themselves. The only things I add to the water are wormer or S76, and that is not often, or liquid calcium if I suspected a hen of being eggbound.

I've been doing the ACV for quite a while now, I add 1 Tbs. per gallon of water, mainly because my water is alkaline and this should help their gut be more acidic. However, I am even wondering about this. I am about out of organic ACV, and I might just try plain water for a change.

I think most of us do the same thing when we get started--we buy a whole cupboard full of supplements, trying out all these things we read about. Eventually, everyone settles on a regimen that works for them. As poohbear (with decades of experience) has said, the simpler the better. Or if you really enjoy supplying all these supplements, then free choice is perfect--you are happy providing them with the best, and they are happy because they can take in whatever they want.

[finchmix22]

I am hearing plain water is best, but what about the bacteria inhibitor? That is my concern with water sitting all day long. I still change it twice a day, but I get nervous about them getting sick as they mess up the water so quickly! LOl. If I give them filtered tap water, changed twice a day, do I need any water purifier or bacteria inhibitors? I am guessing from what all of you have said, it is not necessary.

Still curious and of course, I am a nervous owner, as I question any impact my care may have on ones that died in the past, for unknown reasons. Especially, my last one, whom the vet could not tell why the Society finch died. I'd had that one for one year and the bird had always been less active than the others, but then suddenly got fluffed up and weak with difficulty breathing. She died within minute of getting her to the avian vet (after they put her on oxygen and heat). I had wondered about a bacteria or other type of organism problem, but I guess the other birds would have it too, so that must not be the issue. I just wish I knew so I can prevent that in the future. Thanks everyone.

[Ursula]

I am hearing plain water is best, but what about the bacteria inhibitor? That is my concern with water sitting all day long. I still change it twice a day, but I get nervous about them getting sick as they mess up the water so quickly!

If the water gets "messed up" quickly consider different water containers and placement of them, depending on what you have now. If you have bowls make sure they are not under perches etc.

I use filtered tap water and change it once daily in the morning without problems, and I don't add anything.

The only water where I add something is in my fountain because I only change it once a week and the birds hardly ever touch it. It's more for decoration and they seem to like the sound of the gurgling water. I put Sparkle in the fountain water.

As for supplements: I use liquid Calcium Plus and multi vitamins in the water once a week. No illnesses or deaths since - I believe - almost a year and a half now.

[monotwine]

As Ursula has suggested try offering a few watering point options.
The birds in the wild drink from filthy stagnant ponds and survive.

Their natural gut flora allows them to handle the little bits of bacterial action in the water. When we start sterilising the water we don't know what we are doing to the birds good gut flora too. When we upset a natural balance is when there are problems.

Birds can die suddenly for all manner of reasons, from fright to illness. Just take each case as it comes.
Follow a good preventative treatment for parasites and offer them good husbandry and you should be fine.
Relax and enjoy your birds. It normal to want to overdo it for the birds best interest.

[dfcauley]

I boil all water before giving it to my birds. I have been doing this for about a year now. Then I add one tsp. of citric acid per galloon.
The reason I boil is because unfortunately in my town they have problems sometimes with the water and I don't want to chance it. I don't drink tap water OR filtered water myself so all my pets get boiled water.

[finchmix22]

Thanks everyone for the information and suggestions. I do enjoy watching these birds and I made some changes in water placement and perch placements, which decreased the messy water cups. Some species seem to make more of a mess and leave food in the water cups too. I always wonder if they were trying to wet the lettuce or just dropped it near the water cup? LOL.