An Evaluation of Feed Lost in the Drinking Water: Comparison Among Management Systems and Individual Birds

ROUTINE observation shows that chickens normally transfer variable but often considerable quantities of feed to the drinking water, where such feed is generally discarded in the cleaning operation. This paper attempts to quantify such feed wastage under several different combinations of feeding, watering, and bird-handling systems. Included are data on wastage patterns of individual birds in relationship to feed and water intake. PROCEDURE All data in this report are based on one group of 10 W. L. pullets, housed in individual cages (12 in. × 16 in. × 18 in.) of a commercial, multitiered laying battery. At the start of the study the birds were laying between 60–70%. They were alternately exposed to various combinations of management conditions, designed to simulate commercial operations, as follows: 1. Feeding Systems: All mash or all pellet-laying rations, replenished daily either in individual-bird-feeders or multibird-hoppers mounted in front of the cage. The feeding …