There's more to watering chickens than you might think, and mastering a scientific approach to drinking water matters

When watering chickens, supply drinking water according to the optimal water intake.

■Increase by age in weeks: For 1-6 week old chicks, 20-100 ml per chicken per day; for 7-12 week old growing chickens, 100-200 ml per day; for non-laying hens, 200-230 ml per day; for laying hens, 230-300 ml per day.

■As a ratio of feed intake: At normal temperature (20°C), a chicken's water intake should be 2 times its feed intake; in a high-temperature environment (above 33°C), water intake should be 5 times feed intake.

■By laying rate: When the laying rate is 50%, each laying hen needs 170 ml per day; for every subsequent 10% increase in laying rate, water intake increases by 12 ml.