Response of Hens Under Thermal Stress to Dehydration and Chilled Drinking Water

Abstract

When the room temp. was held at 90[degree]F., the following observations were made on laying Leghorn hens: Withholding water drastically limited feed consumption. The hen conserved her supply of body water by reducing her respiration rate and voiding drier droppings. When water was withheld for 25 hrs., only a short interruption of egg production was observed; when water was withheld for 48 hrs. egg production ceased and some of the pullets molted, but later came back into production; the same was true for the 72-hr. period. Cooling the drinking water lowered body temp.; otherwise the birds responded practically the same as did the controls given warm water to drink.