Why are my chicken drinking so much water in a single day?

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Chickens don't sweat. So, they have to drink a lot of water to cool off their internal temperature on a hot day. If you are giving them dry feed, that will make a huge difference. I ferment their feed. So, while they are not drinking as much from the water founts, they are still taking in as much liquid over the course of the day. You should check to be sure that your waterers are level, and that there are no leaks. If the base is even just a little bit cross threaded or if they are not level they will spill all the water out onto the ground. If all of your birds are adults, you could give them a couple shallow buckets as well, so that if you did have a fount leak, they would still have an other water option.
 
DaviJones said:
X2 on what Banty asked
I've got some as well
>Have you checked for leaks?
>What temperature is it?
>Do wild birds or other animals have possible access to the dispensers?
>How low are we talking here? 1/4 of each container left? An 1/8?
>Is this behavior new and how much so deviant from the norm is it? Ex. They were drinking it down to half full and now its an eighth.

Thanks! I know its quite a bit of questioning, but t's to help us access the situation. Hopefully it doesn't seem too much like an interogation ;)
Click to expand...

>No leaks, all buckes are brand new.
>Right at this time according to my weather app on my phone it says 21 c
>No, all chickens are enclosed and nothing apart from my self goes in ther.
>Half at least
>To me it is new since i have only had these chickens for 2 weeks now, i bought them when they where already 18 weeks. But since i have had them, no it is not new.

No don't worry really love answering them questions since it gets me narrow down the posibilities.
 
lazy gardener said:
Chickens don't sweat. So, they have to drink a lot of water to cool off their internal temperature on a hot day. If you are giving them dry feed, that will make a huge difference. I ferment their feed. So, while they are not drinking as much from the water founts, they are still taking in as much liquid over the course of the day. You should check to be sure that your waterers are level, and that there are no leaks. If the base is even just a little bit cross threaded or if they are not level they will spill all the water out onto the ground. If all of your birds are adults, you could give them a couple shallow buckets as well, so that if you did have a fount leak, they would still have an other water option.
Click to expand...
What grains do you ferment? We are feeding a mixed scratch that has corn, wheat, oats, milo, millet, sunflowers but also a few pellets. Could I ferment that or do I need to only do certain grains?
 
dlp40 said:
What is your humidity In your area right now. I know my chickens (8 total) are drinking about 2 gallons every day but our humidity is super low right now. This happens every year in winter for me. Hope this helps a bit.
Click to expand...
My 8 chickens drink 1 quart of water a day...some days 1.5 quarts but never more than that.
I should not that I feed fermented feed and I do NOT measure how much water they get with the feed but I will try to measure that amount soon.
 

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