Do my chickens drink enough water?

[RawhideChicks]

I have 8 hens (15 weeks old). They use a nipple waterer and I know they drink from it -- I seem them do it all the time. My concern is that it doesn't seem like they are drinking anywhere near the 16 oz per day per bird that I've seen as a requirement. They are very healthy and show no signs of distress or dehydration. This is not a new thing. Should I worry if they are drinking apparently what it is they need even if it's not what I see as the required amount? Can you tell I am new to this

 

[BirdManOK]

Quote:
I think your water requirement for pullets of that age is high. According to the Poultry CRC in Australia, a pullet that age needs around 5-6 ounces of water per day.

That said if they are healthy, free of stress, and clean water is always provided... I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[casportpony]

 [COLOR=333333]I have 8 hens (15 weeks old). They use a nipple waterer and I know they drink from it -- I seem them do it all the time. My concern is that it doesn't seem like they are drinking anywhere near the 16 oz per day per bird that I've seen as a requirement. They are very healthy and show no signs of distress or dehydration. This is not a new thing.  Should I worry if they are drinking apparently what it is they need even if it's not what I see as the required amount? Can you tell I am new to this :[/COLOR]

I think your water requirement for pullets of that age is high.  According to the Poultry CRC in Australia, a pullet that age needs around 5-6 ounces of water per day.

That said if they are healthy, free of stress, and clean water is always provided... I wouldn't worry about it.

Welcome to BYC!

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Non laying birds should drink no less than 5% of their body weight per day.
Laying hens 13%
Growing chickens might drink up to 20%

If they aren't drinking 5% per day then that might be a problem.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

@RawhideChicks, welcome to BYC!

-Kathy

 

[BirdManOK]

Non laying birds should drink no less than 5% of their body weight per day.
Laying hens 13%
Growing chickens might drink up to 20%

If they aren't drinking 5% per day then that might be a problem.

-Kathy

So using your numbers... Assume a 15 week old layer pullet weighs 2.5 lbs (think that's reasonable)... then at the very minimum each pullet should drink approximately 2 ounces of water a day. The whole 8 pullet flock should drink, at minimum, 16 ounces a day..

Not really that much water...

 

[RawhideChicks]

Gosh -- I am not sure if they are or not? They don't weigh that much. I'll try to weigh them ("try" being the operative word

).

 

[casportpony]

Google "pullet weight casportpony" and I think you'll find a chart that says how much egg laying pulleys should weigh.

-Kathy

 

[jennyf]

I have wondered this too! I have 6 pullets and a bucket with nipples and it takes forever for them to go through even a gallon! Don't forget if you are feeding fruit and veggie scraps they are getting fluids from those too. I have been thinking when they start laying, their water consumption has got to take a jump.

 

[centrarchid]

I will pose a silly question. What are the birds eating in addition to the water? The assumptions concerning water consumption I assume are centered on birds in a thermally neutral environment consuming only a single dry formulation diet that is well formulated