The cyclic nature of chicks

Day old chicks are the edge of a short, but intensive growing period. Knowing about their activity cycle, enables a good insight in their behavior during day and night. They need time to eat and rest, individuallly as well as in a flock. This allows providing proper brooding conditions.  
 
By Michael Czarick,
Extension Engineer
Connie Mou,
PhD Graduate Student
and  Brian Fairchild
Extension Poultry Scientist
The University of Georgia
Athens, GA USA
 
A study was conducted on commercial broiler farms examining broiler water usage over the first seven days of a growing period. High-accuracy, ultrasonic water meters were installed in twenty-two broiler houses (eighteen 40′ X 500′ (12 x 150 mtr) houses, four 54′ X 500′ (16 x 150 mtr) houses) on nine farms. The water meters were capable of accurately measuring water flow rates as low as 0.005 gals (0.019 ltr)/min which is 50 times lower than that of the typical poultry house water meter. These meters were accurate and sensitive enough so that chick water usage could be measured on a minute-to-minute basis from the moment the chicks were placed in a house.
Research has shown that water consumption is highly correlated with feed consumption. During the first week, chicks will drink approximately 30 gallons (114 ltr) of water for every 100 pounds (45 kgs) of feed consumed (Alqhtani, 2016). With the high resolution water meters, patterns in chick water consumption and therefore feed consumption were able to be seen that remain hidden with conventional water meters.
Strong circadian rhythm
One of the interesting patterns uncovered is that even when provided continuous light, a flock exhibits a strong circadian (24 hour) rhythm during brooding. The day after chick placement there is roughly twice the amount of drinking/feeding activity during the “day” than there is the following “night” (Figure 1). The pattern becomes less apparent as the week progresses.
By the seventh day there is generally less than a 20% difference between “day” and “night”. It is important to note that only totally-enclosed houses were studied so the amount of outside light the birds were exposed to was minimal if any.
Chicks have an internal clock. This clock plays a role in determining a bird’s level of activity throughout the day by essentially setting a “daytime and a “nighttime”. This clock can be “set” at the hatchery when a chick comes out of the shell or even in the setter when it is still in the egg,...