Water is a basic need for every living being, and the same goes for chickens. As not everyone has experienced poultry farming, only a bunch of people know how long the chickens can go without water.

If you have chickens in your backyard or you are about to jump into poultry farming, regardless of that, it is important for all of us to know how long the chickens can survive if no water is provided. Take an example of yourself; what will happen if you do not have drinkable water available for the next 24 hours? You wouldn’t want anyone to go through this, let alone the animals.

It is believed that the chickens can go without water for as long as 48 hours, but it is not ineffaceable. It is subject to change based on a number of factors.

Chickens are kind of subtle in nature, and they won’t be able to make it for long if not provided water on time. Thus, if you want to keep them protected, sound, and healthy, let’s get to know how much time they can live with no water.

How long can chicken survive without water?

As said earlier, chickens are known to survive for as long as two days, and they start to die after that. However, there are various factors that come into play in determining the time chickens can go with no water.

Keeping in mind that the chicken can endure surviving without water for a maximum of 48 hours and that the factors that affect time further decrease the period.

So, in any case, consider 48 hours as the end limit and make sure the chickens have access to water long before the time period exceeds.

Moreover, let’s look into the factors as well so that we know exactly the conditions we are in and take appropriate steps to ensure water for the chickens before they succumb to death.

Factors affecting the time chickens can go without water

When discussing how long chickens can go without water, the first element we see is the chicken breed type.

There are numerous breeds of chickens, and each one of them differs when it comes to food requirements; however, they all need water to survive. Although some chickens can live for up to a few more hours than others, the limit of 48 hours is considered to be the end for all types.

Besides the chicken breed, there are a few more other elements that affect how much time the chicken can go with no water. Let’s discuss them as well.

The weather

Just like humans tend to drink more water in summer than in winter, the same applies to chickens. They need access to water more frequently in a warm environment as compared to when it’s cold.

If it’s warm, chickens start looking for water after 6 to 8 hours, and they’ll start feeling dizzy in just 24 hours without water.

In case it’s too hot, the chickens will start to die after 12 hours’ time if they are not shifted to a cool environment or provided with water during this time.

In the same manner, a too cold climate is also dangerous for the chickens. A healthy chicken might survive a bit longer than 48 hours in icy regions without water, but it’s not good for the health in the long run.

Age

Chickens are not fully grown in a few days, but they take time. For the same matter, the age of the chickens also heavily affects how long they can live up to with no water.

Baby chicks need to have access to water at all times. Even a few hours with no water can lead to serious consequences.

Although baby chicks consume less water than adult chickens, they need it more frequently. So, as long as they are not fully grown, make sure they have water access from time to time.

Do chickens need a lot of water?

As we are discussing how much time the chickens can endure with no water, it’s important to see how much water does a chicken need in a day? Is it a lot of water do they need that you need time to provide? Let’s find it out.

As a matter of fact, chickens do not need plenty of water; all that they can consume is about 200 to 250 ml a day.

If they are placed outside, and the temperature is warm, the requirement may increase up to 400 ml a day per chicken.

Considering how important the water is, it’s not difficult to have around 300ml of water per chicken every day.

Moreover, water access is more important for hens that are laying eggs, so ensure they have regular access to water.

Conclusion

Provide a clean water supply as soon as you notice that your flock has been left without water, as we know that chickens can’t survive for more than 48 hours. However, chickens start to feel low and dehydrated after 18-24 hours of time. If it’s hot outside or you have baby chicks, you need to provide them water every couple of hours.