Teaching new chicks to drink

Observing chicken behavior is
one of the fun elements of a backyard flock.



One question we’ve had around
here since we got started was if a new chick needs to be taught to
drink water? We use a Brinsea
Octagon 20 advance incubator to hatch our chicks and lately
we’ve been putting them in their brooder area with an Avian Aqua
Miser original. The
chicks have no problem figuring out how to drink by themselves, and it
turns out there’s some scientific research to back this up.



According to data published at extension
websites when chicks are raised without a hen producers must dip their
beaks in water so they learn about drinking. Chicks have been observed
standing in water and even though they were thirsty they would not peck
at the water below their feet.



Why does the Avian Aqua Miser
original work without the chicks being taught? Science shows that a
chick will peck at shiny objects or bubbles in the water. We once
thought it was the bright red color of the poultry nipple, but it turns
out it’s the shiny stainless steel part they are most attracted to.