Feed and water are essential for broiler performance. Sufficient feed provides optimal nutrition and reduces excessive litter pecking, while sufficient water increases feed consumption and improves growth.
Controls, however, must be maintained, since excessive water and feed can create unhealthy conditions while being economically and environmentally draining. To provide adequate feed and water while minimizing wastage, consider the following:
Optimize accessibility
Birds should have uncrowded access to feed with minimal breaks in availability for optimal performance:
- Provide sufficient feeding locations widely distributed across the house;
- Monitor for uneven feed distribution, which can result in lower performance and increased scratching damage associated with competition at feeders;
- Pay extra attention if photoperiod duration or pattern is changed;
- To best manage feed, provide multiple external feed bins, preferably two bins for each house or three bins for two houses. Multiple bins allow for quicker feed changes to medicate sick birds or to satisfy withdrawal requirements.
A clean, cool supply of water should be available to birds at all times.
- Evaluate the entire water system (wells, pumps, pipes, and valves) for the capacity to provide sufficient water to all houses filled with market-age broilers on the hottest day of the year;
- Provide sufficient drinking locations. As a baseline, supply a nipple for every 12 birds or six to eight bell drinkers (40 cm diameter) per 1,000 birds, depending on the age of the birds;
- Distribute water widely within the house to minimize crowding. Broilers will drink better when water is in close proximity, especially as they mature.
Use the above guidelines when setting nipple height.
Evaluate accessibility daily
Consult manufacturer’s recommendations for feed and water station quantities, locations, and for proper adjustments.
Manage feed daily:
- Adjust feeder line height to minimize spillage and optimize access. Adjust feeder height so that the birds’ backs are level with the base of the feeder;
- Allow birds to clear feeders daily to reduce waste and improve feed efficiency. Monitor carefully so that feeders can be quickly refilled after the clearing.
Manage water daily:
- Adjust drinker line height to below enough for birds to reach, yet high enough to minimize wet litter (see Table 1). Birds should never have to strain to reach the nipple;
- Maintain line pressure high enough to provide water to all drinking stations, yet low enough to minimize leakage. At placement, chicks require lower water pressure to easily activate the nipple. As birds age, increase pressure to meet water demand. Lower the pressure if the litter under the drinkers is too damp;
- Check water lines for high/low areas, which can lead to air locks and inconsistent drinking opportunities. Level water lines, install mid-line air vents/standpipes on lines longer than 150 feet (46 meters), and perform high-pressure flushes to remove trapped air.
- Clogged water filters can decrease water pressure. Inspect filters weekly, replace as needed, and confirm filters are sized to remove particulates but not restrict water flow.
Supplement feed and water for chicks
When chicks are placed in a broiler house, they need time to adjust to their new surroundings and learn how to use automated systems. Upon bird placement, cover at least 25% of the floor with flat trays or paper sheeting for feed and provide supplementary drinkers (6 per 1,000 chicks). As chicks start using the main feed and water systems (usually 2-4 days), gradually remove the supplemental supplies.
Pay special attention during excessively hot conditions
Sufficient water is especially important at high ambient temperatures. Prolonged high temperatures in tropical areas can double daily water consumption. Birds will not drink water that is too hot, so keep water supplies out of the direct sun and flush drinker lines regularly.
At high ambient temperatures, as water consumption goes up, feed consumption goes down. Since feed conversion is already being impacted, consider withholding feed at the hottest time of the day to prevent heat stress and resulting mortality.
Monitor consumption
Monitoring feed and water consumption provides information on bird health and performance, as well as feed and water system failures.
- When available, use the alarms attached to automated systems.
- Use meters to measure water consumption. A meter for each house allows for comparisons that will help identify disease and production problems. In large operations, consider multiple meters per house to evaluate within-house zoning differences.
- Monitor the ratio of water to feed consumption to ensure that the flock is receiving sufficient water.
Use preventive maintenance
Strict adherence to a preventative maintenance program will keep equipment running efficiently, minimizing equipment malfunctions and costly down-time. As part of preventative maintenance:
- Walk through barns routinely to evaluate equipment condition;
- Keep an inventory of spare parts on hand at all times;
- Develop a maintenance checklist based on the manufacturer's recommendations;
- Keep maintenance records; and
- Between flocks, flush the entire water system and completely clean the feeding system.
Maintain Emergency supplies
Especially in remote areas, have backup supplies in case normal operations fail. Keep sufficient feed for at least five days at maximum consumption and store it in strong watertight bins to protect it from pest damage and spoilage. Have sufficient water to provide 24 hours of water at maximum consumption. Store the water in a cool, shady area using enclosed containers.
Sufficient water is particularly important when temperatures are high and supplies should be kept out of direct sunlight. | Mark Clements
