Oak tree runoff

[Txagsw]

I live in the Hill Country in Central Texas, up around San Antonio. I have my coop under what we call scrub oak and Texas cedar(juniper) trees. Must have it under trees because of the heat. We catch water from every building, shed possible. The one off the coop results in light rust color. It has a filter on the spicket, leaf catching material in gutter and I check the gutter for ANYTHING in the gutter all the time. Its a new coop. And new roof from same material we've used with all previous coops. Could the pollen from cedar(juniper) trees or the oak tree harm the chickens? That's the only thing that could make the rain water rusty.

 

[nuthatched]

Nope, it's fine. If chickens were that delicate, there wouldn't be chickens.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Tannin from the oak trees, might make the water slightly acidic if I remember right. Won't hurt anything, might keep algae and bacteria down. They age whiskey in oak barrels, used to use it for pumps and water pipes and water buckets. Should be fine.

 

[Txagsw]

Thanks, I thought that, but I have never had any of our rain off water be anything but clear. I'm going to keep the filters on just to keep everything in low quantities.