My chickens are drinking A LOT of water!

[Chicks Galore3]

My chickens are drinking a ton more water then they used to! The waterer usually lasts them 4-5 days, and now it is only lasting them 2-3 days. It has been -20's to the teens. Are they just drinking more because it is so cold?

 

[sourland]

Were they able to access an alternative water source that may now be frozen?

 

[Chicks Galore3]

I am pretty sure not. They haven't gone outside much, to cold! And there isn't any other source in the coop.

 

[donrae]

Were they able to access an alternative water source that may now be frozen?

Or on the flip side, is something else that was drinking other water now drinking your chicken's water?

 

[centrarchid]

The more dry food, as in the ground stuff you buy, that they consume, the more water they will drink. When temperatures drop the birds consume more to stay warm. Result, cold can mean more water consumption. If bulk of food consumed with high moisture content such as green vegetable matter and live animals like insects, then relationship does not hold and with my free-range birds it seems to reverse. When very cold they do not need to loose water to stay cool and water coming from metabolism in addition to water already present in hydrated foods can be enough to meet needs.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Ok- that is what I figured. I've had mice problems, but I had them before I noticed the increase. Thank you!