What is the water requirement of laying hens?

The digestive system of birds is much shorter than that of mammals, although their nutritional requirements are also high. Therefore, feed for chickens must be characterised by a high nutrient content and good digestibility. In addition to feed, hens also need a lot of water – the daily requirement of a laying hen is about 250-300 ml, with 40 g of water consumed by the hen to produce one egg (i.e., about 20 % of the water intake). And although water is not a nutrient in the strict sense, it is the basis for almost all life functions and the main component of the body – it accounts for 55-65% of the body weight of a laying hen and about 74% of the weight of an egg. For this reason, water is often called “the most important food” or “the silent nutrient”. 

Poor water quality or lack of water leads to slower digestion of feed, which reduces feed intake, and this in turn has a negative impact on the growth of the birds. In laying hens, lack of water means small eggs and reduced shell thickness. In addition, a lack of drinking water for several hours – e.g. due to a blocked water pipe or a tank that is not filled in time – can lead to a drastic drop in laying performance.

Reducing or even stopping egg production is essential for the hen’s survival. Why? Because egg production requires water, which can only be redistributed in the body to a limited extent. So if the hen continues to lay eggs even though she lacks water in her body, this can quickly lead to her death. After laying is complete, hens shed large amounts of feathers and moult partially or completely. Therefore, it is very important for self-sufficient mobile hen houses to keep a close eye on the water level in the tank so that it can be refilled at the right moment. 

To avoid such effects, it is assumed that laying hens should receive 1.8 – 2.0 g water per 1 g feed intake. Laying hens drink little but often – a total of about 230-280 ml per day. Daily water intake is a good indicator of flock health, so it is worth recording the daily water and feed intake of the hen house. It is also important that the water temperature is correct – it should be between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius. If the drinking water temperature is above 20 degrees, not only does the quality of the water decrease, but also the intake by the hens.

It should also be remembered that bacteria multiply very quickly at such temperatures. Biofilms with pathogenic microorganisms can form in the drinking lines, which can cause digestive disorders and even intestinal infections in the birds. It is therefore very important to systematically clean drinkers and drinking lines.

IMPORTANT! The water the chickens get should not be “hard”. It should be clean, without pathogenic bacteria and heavy metals. Otherwise it can contribute to the proliferation of bacteria in the birds’ bodies.

It can also happen that the quantity and quality of water is optimal, but the water intake has changed a lot. This is a very important signal that should not be underestimated. If the water intake increases significantly, the water supply system and the water pressure should be checked immediately. Then check the temperature in the poultry house and the salt content of the feed. If none of these factors is the cause of the increased water intake, the health status of the hens should be checked (the hens may be sick, or it may be a reaction to a vaccine).

If, on the other hand, the hens are taking in too little water, the first thing to check is whether the drinkers are working properly, and the water pressure is correct. If the drinking water system is working properly, the quality of the water should be checked. Hens that consume too little water appear sluggish.

As you can see from the above, all chicken keepers should constantly have their finger on the pulse and check the quality of the water and the amount of water the hens are receiving. Laying hens, as well as broilers and chicks, must always have easy access to drinking water, the quality of which should be checked regularly, as contaminated water can cause serious health problems. For the layer, insufficient water intake by the hens means that they cannot lay eggs, and no eggs means that a mobile chicken house is of no use.