RAIN water

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I collect rain water. I was wondering if it is ok to give to the bunnies ?Some i collect off my house roof for the garden. I have tarps up over cages that are coming off my barn. Not the water of the barn. Off the tarp. I can get rain water off of it to put in a barrel for the rabbits.

 

[MaggieJ]

Hard to say. I do not use rainwater here for the rabbits, but I do use it for the geese and chickens... They free range and drink far worse!

If what you collect is clean and algae-free, it would likely be okay. I prefer to give mine well water, feeling that the minerals it contains are probably beneficial. Just my take on the subject!

 

[Miss M]

I've heard that rain water would still need to be boiled, because birds, squirrels, and other critters get on your roof and do some of their business there... so rainwater from sources like this could still harbor very bad bacteria.

 

[ollitos]

We have a bucket water system on most of the pasture pens and they get filled with rainwater regularly.

 

[Miss M]

We have a bucket water system on most of the pasture pens and they get filled with rainwater regularly.

Does it come off of roofs? Do you have to treat it at all?

 

[toastedoat37]

My plants and my goldfish and one of my dogs prefer rain water to the city water here. I think everyone should have a rain barrel, but i will probably give my rabbits the city water. Our government is trying to say that we dont have a right to the rain water that falls on our property

I live at the edge the only rain forest we have in the united states. We get a lot more than our share of rain. last year the department of ecology was in town ,talking about a permit to have a rain barrel for watering your plants.Every one should have a rain barrel and when the time comes, the people need to tell the department of ecology to back off on that issue.

 

[ollitos]

We have a bucket water system on most of the pasture pens and they get filled with rainwater regularly.

Does it come off of roofs? Do you have to treat it at all?

The buckets sit on top of the rabbit pens. We don't treat the water.

 

[Jessykah]

My plants and my goldfish and one of my dogs prefer rain water to the city water here. I think everyone should have a rain barrel, but i will probably give my rabbits the city water. Our government is trying to say that we dont have a right to the rain water that falls on our property

I live at the edge the only rain forest we have in the united states. We get a lot more than our share of rain. last year the department of ecology was in town ,talking about a permit to have a rain barrel for watering your plants.Every one should have a rain barrel and when the time comes, the people need to tell the department of ecology to back off on that issue.

Seriously?!! What reason do they give? I cannot imagine what would be wrong with collecting something that falls free from the sky, and using it, when it would otherwise be wasted! Did they say why? That's crazy!!

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Thanks everyone. I thought this would be a no brainer answer. But i guess i was wrong. It isnt coming off my roof so i dont think it would hurt them. But on the other hand ,i dont want to take any chances either. I guess i would just coninue for what i am doing.

Oh one more thing. In the summer i use my outside tape as it isnt hooked up to my softener in the house.But in the winter i have no choice but to use it.The little salt that is in the water will not harm them if anything it will be good for them as i feed grains.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Wen My aunt lived in a house that had a cistern-- which collected rainwater from the roof, the only treatment' the water received was to go through a filter to remove those grains of whatever that are [part of the shingles, and any larger debris that may collect on a roof.

However, if you go to a outfitting store, like Gander mountain, onecan purchase water filters that will filter the tiny micro-organisms out-- like cocci, giardia, etc..
If you want to go further, 1 tsp of tincture of iodine in a gallon of water ' purifies' for bacterial agents. REAL 'Clorox' ( Chlorine based bleach, not oxygen) can be used at a higher concentration to purify drinking water for people-- I remember having a chart on hand when I lived in Florida-- part of the 'Hurricane Kit'
vanilla flavoring, whether'real' or artificial can be used in water-- 1 tsp per gallon, to kill aspergillosis-- a fungus that is in the environment. this works by changing the pH of the water -- I suppose vinegar would do the same...

 

[Jessykah]

Can't you just close the valve of the water softener each time you use the hose outside, then turn it back on later? The water would just bypass the softener. That's what my friends do.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Can't you just close the valve of the water softener each time you use the hose outside, then turn it back on later? The water would just bypass the softener. That's what my friends do.

In my post it says,my outside tape is NOT hooked up to my softener.

 

[toastedoat37]

My great grandfathers rabbit hutches were sitting by the huge concrete water basin the dairy cattle drank out of, he got water for the rabbits from that, it was rain water much of the year , combination well water rain water the rest of the year.

The department of ecology talked about collecting rain water obstructing natural flow of rain water back to our streams. But i think what it is ,is at this time in this state,its mostly just businesses that use toxic chemicals and businesses that are right on the river that have to have permits and are regulated by them. If they can convince people that they need a permit for anything (rain barrel) then that will lead to where they have some control over the average property owner and can start regulating what they do. Like no changing oil in your driveway with out proper catch basins, no more spray painting your home with out permits etc. At my place of business ,i even have to write a report on how i dispose of a few ounces of condensation that builds up in a small air compressor.

You know also our government is concerned about the back yard farmer raising a little food, its taking money out of the commerce system, its something that obama has mentioned. Goverment wants to regulate it,they dont want you trading some rabbit meat to your neighbor for some fresh veggies without it being taxed some how.