Watering chickens is indeed a science that requires attention, and this is a must-read guide for chicken farmers! Water, as the source of life, is not only an indispensable basic requirement for animal survival but also a crucial nutrient for maintaining their normal physiological functions and metabolism. Although water is abundant in nature, ensuring its quality and supply in animal farming often gets neglected.
In adult animals, water comprises 1/2 to 2/3 of their body weight, while for newborn animals, this proportion rises to as much as 80%. This fully underscores the extreme importance of water in animal life. Therefore, in chicken farming, we must ensure that chickens have access to sufficient and sanitary water sources.
Generally, healthy chickens consume 1.5 to 2 times more water than their food intake. However, this ratio is not fixed and fluctuates with changes in ambient temperature. In hot weather, chickens increase their water intake to dissipate heat, while in cold seasons, water consumption decreases accordingly.
Of particular note is the brooding period. During this critical stage, the growth of chicks is closely related to the quality and quantity of water they consume. Therefore, providing high-quality water for chicks is of vital importance for their health and future production performance.
The key points to consider regarding water during brooding include the following:
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Cleanliness and sanitation of water: It is essential to ensure that the water does not contain pathogenic microorganisms. To this end, we need to regularly clean and disinfect waterers or water lines to prevent bacterial growth.
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Adequate and good-quality water supply: Waterers should always be full, or ensure that water lines have an adequate, good-quality water supply with moderate pressure. Additionally, to maintain water temperature consistent with room temperature, pre-warming of water can be done.
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Inducing drinking: After chicks are introduced to the coop, they need to be induced to drink water manually so that they can quickly familiarize themselves with the water source and its location. This helps create a drinking memory and effectively prevents dehydration in chicks. At the same time, always check if there is water in the water lines to ensure that chicks can drink at any time.
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Use of waterers: It is recommended to use waterers for a week before switching to automatic drinkers, giving chicks sufficient time to fully adapt.
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Adjustment of water line height: As the chickens grow, the height of the water line also needs to be adjusted accordingly to ensure that chickens can easily drink water.
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Timing of water and feed: Chicks should be given feed 1-2 hours after drinking water to facilitate rapid absorption of the yolk sac.
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Additives in water: To alleviate stress from transportation and the new environment, composite vitamins or 2%-5% glucose can be added to the water.
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Choice of medication: When necessary, appropriate medications can be added to the water. However, it is not recommended to use flufenicol, while enrofloxacin can be used as an oral medication.
In practical farming, some chicken farmers experience water shortages among chicks due to insufficient waterers, low water pressure in water lines, clogged water nipples, or excessive chick density. These chicks often show symptoms of "dry feet," grow slowly, and affect the uniformity of the entire flock. Therefore, we must attach great importance to water management to ensure that every chick has access to sufficient and high-quality water.