• It is the basic component of blood and lymph and makes up a high percentage of the body
• It helps to cool the bird by evaporation through its lungs and air sacs.
• Water is necessary for transport of nutrients in the body and aids in certain digestive processes.
• It is the medium of large number of chemical and metabolic reactions in the body.
• Eyes and ears are lubricated by which reception of sound and light is improved and becomes well defined.

Consumption of water

The increase in the feed consumption and increase in temperature increases the water consumption. Besides these two factors, egg production level and water temperature level will also influence the water consumption of laying hen. Hens prefer the water temperature of 50 to 55 F. water consumption is decreased when water temperature is near the freezing point or above the 90 F. as the egg production increases, water consumption increases.

Water for chicks:

If the day old chicks do not get water for 2 or three days, they will become dehydrated and the results would be detrimental and weakens them and weakly chicks don’t learn to eat and drink so easily. For best results, chicks should be given water immediately after their arrival. Water should be provided for about 3 hours before feed is given. The water should be placed just outside the edge of the hover so that the brooding heat will not heat the water also and make it inconvenient for the chicks to drink. Ensure that the water level is convenient to the chicks.

Types of water and its effects:

• Saline water: - Salt in the water of laying hens usually results in wet droppings., however high levels of salt in the water can cause production losses and prolapsed problem. Most laying diets contain 0.5% to 0.7% added salt. Levels above 1 to 1.5% generally result in watery droppings. Whenever total salt content of water exceeds 4000 PPM no dietary salt should be added.
• Nitrate water: - Many water sources contain nitrates from geological reserves and contamination from farmyard surface water of chemical fertilizers. As much as 200 PPM of nitrates and nitrites have been given to laying hen in water without affecting production. Nitrates are related to utilization of vitamin A.
• Hard water: - Water that contains calcium and magnesium is hard. Water having hardness of less than 100 PPM is considered soft. Water 100 to 200 ppms moderately hard, 200 to 350 PPM normal hard and over 350 PPM very hard. If total hardness goes above 1000 PPM there is likely to be palatability problem. And also poor water consumption problems with a possible outbreak of diseases.

Water sanitizers and vaccination

Chlorine is used as a disinfectant continuously in moist of the farms. AS chlorine kills microbiological organism, IT MUST NOT BE ADDED DURING VACCINATION IN WATER. Skim milk powder is added into the water, which will cling to the organic dirt inside the water and also can neutralize the sanitizer if present in the water.

Drinking Water Standards

Drinking water should be free of coliform organism, objectionable unnatural turbidity, colour or deposits in quantities sufficient to interfere with the use. Coliform organism presence is a good indicator of contamination of water supply. Coliform count should not exceed 5000 organism per 100 ml. Water must be free from damaging quantities of suspended solids. These solids are very trouble some in most poultry water system. The mineral elements which are mainly found in water include Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, Iron, Manganese, Carbonate, Chloride, Sulfate, Nitrate. The presence of chloride, sulfates and dissolved solids in excess levels act as laxatives which results in watery diarrhea. Laxative effective is common with water having sulphur concentration of 600 to 1000 PPM particularly if Magnesium is present. Similarly when chlorine content in water is more than 1000 PPM, corrosion of the water utensils will happen.

Water Analysis

Water to be used for poultry should be evaluated for both microorganism contamination and mineral content. In addition to coliform groups, the presence or salmonella should be ascertained. Any analysis should definitely include evaluation of colour, pH, salt and hardness of water.