The environment can mean quite a number of factors. In this discussion I will concentrate only on air temperature and air quality. In two previous papers in this range I stressed the importance of early feed and water intake to enable a healthy chicken to get off to a good start. The following were the main points that were raised in those papers: The consumption of water a few hours after hatching is essential to ensure that chickens will not dehydrate and experience damage to the kidneys; secondlyto prevent the membranes in the respiratory tract (nostrils and the tubes to the lungs) to stay moist and prevent cracks that will allow germs to penetrate the body; and thirdly, to enable the chicken to digest the feed it has consumed. Under very hot conditions water is essential for the chicken to cool itself by means of panting (evaporative cooling).
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