Garden & Water Utilities
Livestock water per day.
Enter horses, goats and laying hens. Get a daily water range in gallons and litres for the group and how many days a tank or trough lasts. Based on university extension and veterinary figures, as a floor for mild weather. Runs in your browser.
Your animals
Water needed
Fill the form and press Calculate.
Worked example
Two idle horses: 2 × 10 to 12 = 20 to 24 gal. Three 100 lb goats: dry matter 2.5 to 3 lb each, water 2 to 3 times that, 1.8 to 3.2 gal. Eight hens: 8 ÷ 16 = 0.5 gal. Total 22.3 to 27.7 gal a day, so a 100 gal tank lasts 3.6 to 4.5 days.
How it works
Horses: G1781 Basics of Feeding Horses: Feeding Management (University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Kathy P. Anderson) says a mature, idle horse drinks about 10 to 12 gallons a day, more if lactating or sweating. Goats: Nutritional Requirements of Goats (Merck Veterinary Manual) says maintenance water is 2 to 3 times dry matter intake, and we take dry matter as 2.5 to 3 percent of body weight (FSA9613: Balancing Rations for Sheep and Goats (University of Arkansas Extension, David Fernandez)); one US gallon of water weighs about 8.345 lb. Hens: Backyard & Small Poultry Flock Management Series: Feeding the Laying Hen (Alabama Cooperative Extension System) says a gallon a day is enough for roughly 16 laying hens. Heat, work, lactation, lush or dry feed and salt all raise real use, so size troughs for the hot-weather high end. Sheep are not included because no source here gives a figure for them.
Sources (opened 2026-10-08): G1781 Basics of Feeding Horses: Feeding Management (University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Kathy P. Anderson); Nutritional Requirements of Goats (Merck Veterinary Manual); FSA9613: Balancing Rations for Sheep and Goats (University of Arkansas Extension, David Fernandez); Backyard & Small Poultry Flock Management Series: Feeding the Laying Hen (Alabama Cooperative Extension System).
FAQ
How much water does a horse drink per day?
Nebraska Extension says a mature, idle horse drinks about 10 to 12 gallons daily, more if lactating or sweating.
How much water does a goat need?
The Merck Veterinary Manual says maintenance water is 2 to 3 times dry matter intake. For a 100 lb goat that is roughly 0.6 to 1.1 gallons a day.
How much water do chickens need?
Alabama Extension says a gallon a day is enough for roughly 16 laying hens, and water should always be available.
Is this enough in summer?
Probably not. Hot weather, work and lactation raise water use. Treat these figures as a floor and check troughs often.
Disclaimer
Planning guide only. Animals must always have clean water, and winter needs ice-free water. Not veterinary advice.