*DEBUNKED* Toxic Levels of Lead in Black Rubber Feed Bowl Water, 30 mg/L, 2000 Times EPA Limits

[Life of Eric]

Thank you admins for adding DEBUNKED to the title of this thread.

 

[Life of Eric]

Just want to share images of what I was seeing:
My 4pm Test showing 15mcg/L:

My 6pm Test results which caused me to retract my previous statements and mark this thread as Debunked:

Sorry if I caused any unneeded panic, and I'm still not sure if these bowls are safe or not.
I'd rather error on the side of caution, and was attempting to act in the best interest of the community.

 

[puddle_drinker]

Thank you admins for adding DEBUNKED to the title of this thread.

You did the right thing and it's an interesting aspect of keeping chickens to think about.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Okay everyone, you can fill your rubber bowls back up.

 

[Folly's place]

I too was concerned about your initial test with the rubber bowl, and I'm glad that more testing is clarifying the situation.
Recently I decided to send eggs from my birds to a testing lab to check for lead. Happily, the test came back 'less than 0.00025ppm'.
Terrific! And we do use rubber water bowls in addition to galvanized drinkers, and have for decades. Our farm buildings were never painted, so no obvious lead paint issues, a very big help.
Living in a place with older lead painted buildings, a different story.
Mary

 

[Sally PB]

@Life of Eric, thank you for the follow up.

 

[Molpet]

Just want to share images of what I was seeing:
My 4pm Test showing 15mcg/L:

Yeah that's what I see too.

Some of the tests aren't reliable https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.0c07614
I think the test might not be accurate

I thank you for the update and testing you have been doing

 

[SourRoses]

Sorry if I caused any unneeded panic, and I'm still not sure if these bowls are safe or not.
I'd rather error on the side of caution, and was attempting to act in the best interest of the community.

I think you handled this all admirably, and your concern shows.
I for one would much rather have spent a few days not using a specific feeder, than to use something toxic.
No harm, no fowl, hehehe.

 

[Life of Eric]

Yeah that's what I see too.

Some of the tests aren't reliable https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.0c07614
I think the test might not be accurate

I thank you for the update and testing you have been doing

Thanks for that link.
So it seems almost any home test kit for lead in water is almost worthless.
I wish I knew this earlier, especially seeing that I no longer know for certain if our well water is lead free.

 

[Life of Eric]

I think you handled this all admirably, and your concern shows.
I for one would much rather have spent a few days not using a specific feeder, than to use something toxic.
No harm, no fowl, hehehe.

See the link in Molpet's post. Apparently most of these lead test kits are nearly useless.
The failure of these tests does not make these bowls known safe or known to be unsafe.
Hopefully someone with the correct equipment and skills will do some testing on a wide sample of these bowls.
Thanks for the kind words, time for me to stop playing Redneck Scientist and let the professionals do some testing.
Also, the brand of my bowl is Fortex, which according to its website is Made in USA with 'real' rubber.
How would this compare to a Made in China bowl made from recycled rubber?
I neither want to encourage nor discourage the use of these bowls at this time, but do think further testing is warranted.

Thanks for putting up with me