Automated Clean Drinking Water for Chickens

Wilco Atsma runs a poultry farm with his wife and son in Tzum, Friesland. With 150,000 star chickens, 7 barns, and a contract with Jumbo, the farmer strives for the best living environment for his poultry. The enterprising and innovative poultry farmer wants to stay ahead and has made a significant step forward since 2019.

Done with harmful chemicals

"I'm busy making changes on the farm," Wilco begins his story. "We now have solar panels and wind turbines, and we are busy converting the barns for Better Life Star Chickens." Atsma had once read online about the Watter system and thought it might be something for him. "To keep the water pipes clean, I used to use other agents like hydrogen peroxide. I was a bit fed up with it because it takes a lot of time and is also not good for the environment. I rely a lot on my gut feeling, and the Watter system seemed like a good solution to get rid of harmful chemicals." He decided to call the company and took the system on trial in 2019. "The idea was to just try out the system first, and that went really well. That's why I chose Watter, and the system has stayed."

Trial period

Watter offers poultry farmers the opportunity to take the system on trial for 5 months. This way, you can try out whether the system is suitable for your farm without any obligation. For the installation, water samples are taken as a baseline measurement, and after about six weeks, water samples are taken again to compare the results. At the end of the 5 months, we evaluate the trial with you, and you can decide whether to purchase the system.

Advantages of the trial period:

• Insight into the process and results of the Watter system;
• Non-binding trial for 5 months;
• Guidance from our experts;
• The costs for the trial period in 2024 are deductible from the purchase price.

Disinfected drinking water and floors with one system

"Because I have 7 barns on the farm, the Watter system is centrally located. We dose the agent in low concentration into the drinking water, and we also draw disinfectant from the Watter system. A dosing pump takes a dose from the tank, and everything else works automatically. I find that a great advantage. Part of the drawn disinfectant is used for extra disinfection after the regular disinfection of the floor plus the bottom half meter of the wall. This happens when the chickens are away. We have fabricated a tank for that ourselves."

Watter prevents biofilm growth

Wilco is very clear about using the Watter system. He calls it an automatic process and is glad that the system has replaced his previous disinfection method. "Previously, we kept regular chickens, and it was a bit wetter in the barn, so we used more additives in the water to keep the water pipes clean. It was all a bit makeshift, where you operate based on reactions in the barn. Since 2019, that's no longer necessary. By automating, there is more convenience. Only salt needs to be added to the storage tank, and the rest of the process is automatic."

"We have also had several important changes on the farm, such as the switch from regular chickens to NSK chickens and from NSK chickens to star chickens. These changes already bring enough concerns, so it's nice to rely on the water always being good. Watter prevents the growth of biofilm in the water pipes and keeps them nice and clean."

Underestimation of water quality

Atsma mentions that water quality within livestock farming is underestimated. "The danger for a livestock farmer concerning water quality is a trait they have: when something is wrong with the animals, they often look at the feed or other aspects. But as a cause of health problems, water is not quickly considered, even though it is an important part of well-being and definitely plays a role. Water is also important for humans, so you want to give it to the animals too. Good water is a plus and affects the chain as a whole." Atsma directly refers to the solution for poor water quality: "With the Watter system, you hardly have to look after the process, and it is also much cheaper than using regular disinfectants. The operational costs for the salt and electricity to keep the system running are low."

Would you also like to experience the same convenience and effectively remove biofilm without using harmful chemicals? Contact our professionals without obligation and get informed about the possibilities.