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Mastering the Water Line – Height & Pressure Birds require ample water supply in order to digest their food. Let’s see how to monitor and adjust properly height and pressure to have birds better than ever. Why is the drinker line height so important? Because water is the most important nutrient. Birds require ample water supply in order to digest their food. If the line is too low, most of the water ends up in the litter, not in the birds. If the line is too high, birds can only peck at the trigger instead of activating it properly, so they don’t consume enough water. All of this results in poor weight, performance, and increases the opportunity for disease. Only about one-third of the water pumped into a chicken house comes out in bird weight; the other two-thirds is either ventilated out or stuck in the litter. We can’t make water less available, we just have to manage it differently. This is done in two parts:
Before we get started on why drinker line height and pressure are so important, there are a few facts you need to know: 1. Chickens consume 1.75 pounds of water for every pound of feed. This is a constant. 2. Chickens have a maximum rate at which they can consume water, and this rate changes with age. To determine what this rate is, use this equation: [(Bird Age in weeks) x 7] + 20 = Flow Rate. 3. Chickens can’t swallow. There is a split in their hard palate so they cannot create the vacuum to swallow, so they just tilt their heads back and let the water slide down their throat.
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• First, it’s imperative that the nipples aren’t leaky. Drinker lines should be cleaned and flushed regularly, at least once a week. Nipple drinkers have a lifespan of 5-10 years, depending on water quality. Replace your old drinkers when you notice that no amount of cleaning is fixing the leaky nipple problem. • Second, the drinker line height needs to be examined and adjusted almost daily. Today’s broilers grow exceptionally fast, and you can’t afford to get behind with proper watering. The easiest way to determine if the height is suitable is to watch the birds. If they must sit to drink, it is too low. If they must stretch their necks straight up, stand on their
