In order to examine the adequate level of sodium chloride in the diet given to colostomized chickens, 6-month-old single comb White Leghorn cockerels with or without an artificial anus were fed the conventional diet supplemented with 0.4% or 0.8% sodium chloride and the following results were obtained.
1) Birds were given the above mentioned feed for 2 months, and there was no significant difference in the body weight or feed intake between both groups. Urinary excretion of sodium and chlorine was dependent on the dietary sodium chloride level. The concentration of chlorine in the plasma as well as the hematocrit value were both within the normal range but, the chlorine concentration was significantly higher and the hematocrit value significantly lower in the chickens fed 0.8% sodium chloride than in those fed 0.4% sodium chloride.
2) Both water intake and water excretion were increased by adding 0.8% sodium chloride, regardless of the colostomy. The increase of water excretion was mostly attributed to the increase of water excretion into urine.
These results indicated that the colostomized chickens needed the same level of sodium chloride as non-operated ones.