Featuring insights from Jonathan Dooley, Hatchery Manager at Pilgrim's De Queen, Nashville Complex in Arkansas
In commercial poultry production, success starts with the basics of clean water, controlled environments, and precise management. While feed, temperature, and genetics often take center stage, water quality is one critical component that can make or break hatchery performance.
Jonathan Dooley, Hatchery Manager at Pilgrim's De Queen/Nashville complex in Arkansas, has seen firsthand the effect that water sanitation has on chick health and livability. With more than a decade in the poultry industry, Dooley understands that water touches every part of the hatchery process from incubation to cleanup and it must be treated with the same urgency as any other health input.
"In a hatchery, cleanliness and sanitation are two extremely important factors in producing a high-quality chick," says Dooley. "We use water to create humidity and for cooling in our incubators, so it contacts every egg that comes through the hatchery. We also use it for cleaning our workstations and equipment. Maintaining clean and bacteria-free water is critical."
Beating the Heat and the Pathogens
Seasonal changes often reveal weak spots in water quality. Dooley recalls that summer used to be a particularly challenging time. "In the hottest parts of the summer, we used to have water quality issues which resulted in hatch depressions and reduced livability in our chicks," he explains. "Since beginning the use of PRO-OXINE® AH, we've had much more consistent results and have seen no more problems during the hot periods of the summer." This improvement underscores the importance of proactive pathogen control not just in treatment, but also in monitoring.
The Invisible Risk
One of the most common mistakes Dooley sees in the industry is a lack of testing or doing microbial plating on their incoming water. "It is often not as clean as you think," he warns. "Water quality should never be overlooked. You cannot see bacteria in water, so it is critical to do microbial plating on it constantly." This invisible risk, where contaminants go unnoticed without proper monitoring, can quietly compromise overall performance.
Although chlorine dioxide is becoming more widely known as a trusted disinfectant for tackling these hidden threats, misconceptions persist, especially when it comes to its compatibility with equipment. "Some people think chlorine dioxide is corrosive and hard on equipment, but I have had no detrimental effects on any of our equipment."
A Growing Focus on Incoming Water
As biosecurity pressures continue to mount, Dooley expects to see even more attention on water sanitation in hatcheries and beyond. "I'm seeing a push toward treating all incoming water in hatcheries and especially in grow-out operations," he notes.
That's where equipment and service become key. According to Dooley, having a reliable system and a responsive partner can make all the difference. "Having a water treatment system that is efficient and reliable gives me peace of mind knowing my water is clean and is helping me produce the best results possible," he says. "I've been very pleased with the response of the service team any time I've had any issues come up."
Dooley credits the adoption of PRO-OXINE AH as a turning point for improved chick viability. "Having clean, bacteria-free water has given me more consistent first-week livability in the chicks that I hatch," he explains. This improvement strengthens chick health from the very start, leading to smoother operations and fewer early losses. It demonstrates the critical importance of effective water sanitation in successful poultry production.
About PRO-OXINE AH
PRO-OXINE AH is a broad-spectrum, stabilized chlorine dioxide disinfectant with proven effectiveness against bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens. It offers powerful, science-backed protection to meet the ever-growing needs of the livestock and poultry industry. For more information, visit kemin.com/prooxine.