The experiment was undertaken in conditions of average temperature of 27.6 ºC and relative humidity of 70.4%, with the objective to evaluate bell (BD) and alternative (ALT) water facility and stocking densities (SD) of 10 and 14 broilers m-2 (SD10 and SD14), on performance of 240 broiler chickens of 12 to 18, 19 to 38 and 39 to 46 days of age, allotted in boxes in a completely randomized design in 2 x 2 factorial arrangement (two types of drinking facility and two stocking densities), resulting in four treatments, each one with five replications of ten birds. The ALT was developed based on concept of wide and deep water level (5 cm) permitting not only the beak, but also entire face to be immersed. For the feeding of birds, commercial diets were utilized. The feed intake (FI) decreased, while the feed conversion ratio (FC) improved when the ALT was utilized from 12 to 18 days. There was no effect of drinking facility on FI, weight gain (WG) and FC in the entire period. The SD14 decreased FI and WG from 19 to 38 and from 39 to 46 days of age, and total period, but the FC was not affected. The ALT did not affect the broiler performance and may be used as an option of low cost in comparison with bell water facility. The economic analysis on income relative index basis showed that the ALT and SD14 offer 1 and 5.9% better income return than BD and SD10, respectively.
types of drinker; broiler performance; stress caloric
