Southern Chickens

[Jx2inNC]

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Some of my birds on walks appear to go for days or even weeks without access to liquid water without apparent stress. Same birds will not pass up liquid water if they find it.

Wow, and I'd get concerned after a day or so of frozen water...

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Some of my birds on walks appear to go for days or even weeks without access to liquid water without apparent stress. Same birds will not pass up liquid water if they find it.

Wow, and I'd get concerned after a day or so of frozen water...

It is OK for you to be concerned. Ability to go without with free ranging birds maybe alright but birds in confinement in my opinion are more prone to other stressors that you do not want added to water stress. Make certain confined birds get their water on a regular basis. My confined birds occasionally go two days without liquid water and I do not like that happening. Sets up for stress induced disease.

 

[Jx2inNC]

Quote:
Wow, and I'd get concerned after a day or so of frozen water...

It is OK for you to be concerned. Ability to go without with free ranging birds maybe alright but birds in confinement in my opinion are more prone to other stressors that you do not want added to water stress. Make certain confined birds get their water on a regular basis. My confined birds occasionally go two days without liquid water and I do not like that happening. Sets up for stress induced disease.

I try to at least to provide at least some water to them, or thaw what I can with warm water in the mornings...when I'm around.
They've appeared to figure out that they can peck through the ice though, so that's a plus.

 

[pontoosuc]

My new girls hate it but are learning to "like" it.
The last two days with the blizzard they didn't go outside into their run but today they were ready!
Yes, I had to shovel their little runway around the run, and shovel off their wine boxes (empty)
that I leave out so they can get off the frozen ground! They hate the snow but each day they
are getting more used to dealing with it.
I keep telling them the days ARE getting longer, and spring is here in just a FEW weeks!!
They don't believe me!

 

[sourland]

I think that I shall continue to provide water two or three times a day to my Northern birds and animals. 48 hour water deprivation? Never heard of such a thing.

 

[centrarchid]

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Where are you located?

 

[sourland]

Sourland is located in New Jersey. Home of the big hills known as the Sourland Mountains which have given him his kennel and user names.

 

[centrarchid]

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How do you keep water to birds three times per day at your location. Do you make rounds that frequently or have some sort of pulsed system to prevent icing?

 

[sourland]

I'm lucky in that I am retired and able to carry water out to my animals and refresh their water pans/bowls. General method is to knock ice out of pans in AM and fill half way. Noon add water to the two third mark. PM fill to top. When I was still working, water was refreshed twice daily.

 

[centrarchid]

Daylength and work schedule force me to water on most days well before dawn. When it is cold (< 5 F), water still fluid for first usually hefty drink. Birds back on roost before work done. Some Saturday mornings when I watch with extremely cold temperatures, they forgo the water and target feed. The following day water is hit hard. I suspect pattern maintained during workweek.

Birds being feed ground feed seem most consistent with respect to water intake. Birds fed intact grains not so demanding. I wonder if rapid hydration of ground feed in crop increases need for water?