This water is the life we know better than anyone, whether plants or animals. Without water, there is nothing to do. For a laying hen, the availability of water must be total since the quality and quantity of eggs that she will lay depend on it, and on her common diet. Are we going to put a saucer or a container with water and that’s it? It is not so easy. How much does a hen drink? We solve it now. Chicken waterers have more science to them than meets the eye.
The technology that orbits around chicken waterers may seem simple, but it still has a long way to go to reach the levels of precision and automation of professional waterers, such as the chicken waterer system like the one manufactured by SKA. In addition to levels of automation to deliver on demand, there are several considerations to take into account: hygiene, flow control, circuit pressure, collection of remains, position of the animal at the time of watering. After all, these are features that make our lives easier while maintaining high comfort in the hen.
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Chicken waterer waste collection is crucial
A chicken does not drink carefully. He is content to drink and quench his thirst and does not consider that water should not be wasted. However, the poultry farmer knows very well the consequences of wasting water, both economically and in terms of health.
Economical because water is not free, and in intensive production the liters consumed must be adjusted to the nearest millimetre.
However, what is crucial in order not to waste water is not so much the economic part as the sanitary part.
Spilling water outside the fountain itself involves a series of disastrous consequences derived from what are known as wet bed A wet litter causes the growth of fungi, bacteria, parasites which will eventually generate diseases in hens which can be summarized as:
skin problems Pododermatitis on the legs as it is the first thing that hits the floor and dermatitis on other parts of the body, especially the chest as it is in the lying position in contact with the damp bedding.
Excess moisture generates respiratory diseases that in addition to skin problems, lower immunity of the hen being more sensitive to the attacks of parasites, bacteria, viruses… Let us realize that it is also a vicious circle of bad conditions since the excess of humidity favors the growth of micro-organisms.
Excess moisture in the litter or bedding is the start of a upset wheel in the animal which will eventually significantly reduce production.
Pressure control is essential to prevent water spillage.
It is necessary to have pressure control. Not because of more pressure, the animal will drink more. Atrocities have been committed, believing that by drinking more, the hen eats more, fattens more. We are not saying that it cannot happen, but the consequence of excessive water spills can affect all of the above and therefore generate loss of animals due to diseases, in addition to generating discomfort for the animals.
Therefore, the pressure must be very adjusted to the type of drinker (also its nozzle) and the size of the bird’s beak. You can drink what you can drink, no more. And the flow rate (which depends on the circuit pressure) must be adjusted.
And that includes pressure changes at different stages of the bird’s growth. The bird grows, the beak grows, even its curvature changes and this implies that the pressure must be less when they are chicks of a few days, to gradually increase the pressure according to growth.
The cups to collect the surplus in the drinking troughs for hens
As much as the pressure is controlled and the valve is adapted to the size of the spout, a slight spillage of water is inevitable. To do this, feeders for chickens and birds in general are made with a hanging tray that collects the water drops that the chicken spills. This way the water is collected and it is also very normal that the hens themselves end up drinking from the cup itself. In the following image you have the example.

How much water does a hen drink per day? Quality Parameters
Height or weight (determined by growth phase) although the biggest influence on water consumption is the ambient temperature. To give us an idea, normalized water consumption at 21°C can double if the temperature rises to 35°C and triple if the temperature reaches 40°C. That’s to say, water consumption in winter and summer they are very different.
In addition to the quantity which will have to be regulated according to the ventilation of the vessel, temperatures, etc. Water quality is also a fundamental factor in the growth of the hen. controlling factors such as pHthe conductivity They are essential to get an idea of the salt content. The Too brackish water negatively affects the growth and laying of the hens as well as their quality. The minimum physical characteristics to consider quality drinking water according to RD 140/2003 are:
- pH: 6.5 – 9.5. Ideally, it should be close to neutral.
- Conductivity: < 2500 µs/cm at 20ºC
- Turbidity: 1-5 NFU
- Residual free chlorine: 1 ppm (mg/l)
References:
Koelkebeck, KW, McKee, JS, Harrison, PC, Parsons, CM, and Zimmerman, RA (1999). The performance of laying hens provided water from two sources. Journal of Applied Poultry Research, 8(3), 374-379.
Wilson, WO (1948). Some effects of increased environmental temperatures on pullets. Poultry Science, 27(6), 813-817.
Yeomans, M.R. (1987). Control of domestic poultry watering. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Edinburgh, UK.