Chicken Drinking A Lot of Water

[aart]

I am reviving this thread because I have a similar question about my hen Orloff. Every time she sees a bowl of water, she will run to it and begin drinking, usually for at least several minutes. She seems generally healthy, but none of the other hens have exhibited this behavior.
Several notes:
-Our flock normally uses a nipple waterer
-They are currently molting and also eating less than they used to (I feed 16 per cent protein feed, and these days I have been mixing a bit of higher-protein pheasant food in because they are molting)
-I have noticed some members of the flock gaping occasionally, sometimes several times in a row. Is this a problem?

Could the water drinking be because she is not getting enough hydration from the nipple waterer, or might it be another health-related reason?

My bird use horizontal nipples,
I know they drink the same amount as they did with an open waterer,
I measured when I switched them over.
...but they still will drink from an open waterer(which I use for vitamins), puddles, drips hanging off the fence, snow.
It's not dehydration, just opportunity.

 

[orloffer]

My bird use horizontal nipples,
I know they drink the same amount as they did with an open waterer,
I measured when I switched them over.
...but they still will drink from an open waterer(which I use for vitamins), puddles, drips hanging off the fence, snow.
It's not dehydration, just opportunity.

Okay, good to know!

 

[jodiefoster]

I have one little silkie that drinks all the time, she has watery poop too. She is three years old and is very healthy. I have read about it and it may be a digestive issue but if it is she is managing it very well on her own.