Influence of hardness of drinking water on egg production and egg shell thickness

The influence of hardness (as calcium carbonate) of drinking water on egg production and egg shell thickness was studied with four groups of layers fed drinking water supplemented with calcium carbonate at the rate of 750 (T1), 1500 (T2), 3000 (T3) ppm in three groups and the fourth group (T4) served as control (available drinking water). A total of 408 day old chicks were reared up to 25 weeks. Body weight gain was significantly (P< 0.05) more in groups T2 and T3 than others. The age at first egg, age at 30% egg production, age at 50% egg production, total egg production at 25 weeks of age and feed efficiency did not differ significantly between treatments. Though the hardness of water failed to influence the mean egg weight, yet the mean egg shell thickness was found significantly influenced by the treatment. T1, T2, and T3 group had produced eggs with thick shells than the control group.