LPM 221: Commercial Poultry Production and Hatchery Management (1+1)

WATER OUTPUT

• Birds lose water mainly through faeces, urine and respired air.
• Except Ostrich, birds do not urinate as such because the urine is mixed with the feces in the distal large intestine.
• The quantity of water excreted in the feces and urine depend upon the water intake.
• The water content of broiler excreta is about 60-70% while that produced by the laying hen is up to 80%. Majority of water is lost through faeces than urine.
• Birds have no sweat glands, and consequently evaporation of water through skin as that of animals is limited. Hence, the evaporative cooling of bird’s body during summer is mainly through respiratory tract.
• Heat lost through evaporation represents only about 12% of total heat loss in the broiler chicken housed at 10⁰C, but this increases dramatically through 26-35⁰C where it may contribute as much as 50% of total heat loss from the body.