1. Modern Poultry - Stimulating activity can reduce ‘kinky back’ in broilers
Increased activity in broilers can reduce kinky back — a spinal deformity that can affect mobility in fast-growing chicks between 3 and 6 weeks of age. There are various ways to increase activity including using sprinklers.
2. PLOS ONE - Providing environmental enrichments can reduce subclinical spondylolisthesis prevalence without affecting performance in broiler chickens
Environmental enrichment can increase the occurrence of natural behavior and improve leg health and other animal welfare outcomes in broiler chickens. There are various ways to increase activity including using sprinklers.
3. University of Georgia - Activity Promotion provides cyclical drinking patterns. (See Graph Below) Please note the spike in water consumption just before the sprinklers are activated. This indicates the birds becoming conditioned to the sprinklers and therefore going to the nipple lines in anticipation of the sprinklers coming on.
