Causes: Failure of chicks to find water or newly hatched chicks being kept in machines and hatchery over 24 hours before reaching the farm.

Effects: Inability of the chick to "peep", insufficient weight for size and age, dehydrated (dark and wrinkled) skin around the shanks. Blood vessels on the skin will be very prominent.

Chicks can survive several days without water, but will generally become weak or die after 3-4 days with no water. Dehydration is caused by failure of the chicks to find water or newly hatched chicks being kept in machines and hatchery over 24 hours before reaching the farm.

Dehydration can be determined by the inability of the chick to "peep", insufficient weight for the size and age, and dehydrated (dark and wrinkled) skin around the shanks. Blood vessels on the skin will be very prominent. Other changes include blue discolouration of the beak, dry and dark breast musculature, dark kidneys, accumulation of urates in the ureters, and darkening of blood.

Dehydration can be determined by the inability of the chick to "peep", insufficient weight for the size and age, and dehydrated (dark and wrinkled) skin around the shanks. Blood vessels on the skin will be very prominent.

Other changes include blue discolouration of the beak, dry and dark breast musculature, dark kidneys, accumulation or urates in the ureters and on visceral organs (Visceral gout), and darkening of blood

Adequate watering space should be available in the brooding area inside a circular brooding guard. Mini-chick drinkers should be placed in the brooding area prior to the reception of the chicks. Care should be taken to show the birds how to drink from the automatic mini drinkers. Larger automated drinker systems including troughs and bell-shaped drinkers, if used, should be in place no later than 7 days-of-age.

The two watering systems should overlap by at least 3 days to ensure a smooth transitional phase between the two systems. If nipple drinkers are used, rubber bands can be placed over a few or drip catching devices used to aid chicks in learning to drink. Timing of settling, hatching and chick pulling needs to be co-ordinated so that chicks spend no more than 12 hours in the machines after hatching, are processed (vaccinated, debeaked and sexed) in less than 8 hours and reach the house is less than 24 hours after hatching. Chicks should be pulled from the hatcheries when 75% have a small humid ring around the head.

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