By Saintly Ngwenya.
Sometimes egg production in poultry particularly layers abruptly stops and farmers fail to find the cause. In some cases where I have assisted farmers in this scenario, I discovered that they were not providing their birds with enough quality water. Most farmers neglect this factor and concentrate on other factors like feed, light, diseases and deficient nutrients.
Water is very important in egg production. Its quantity and quality determine the productivity of the enterprise. Water is required by laying birds all the time. Water acts as a solvent for dissolving feed consumed and nutrients absorbed. It also helps in digestion and absorption of nutrients. Moreover, water aids in the transportation of nutrients and medicines and expelling waste. Laying birds need water to assist in regulating body temperatures.
Therefore, farmers need to provide clean fresh water to their birds to ensure good egg shells.