How to help chickens survive the HEAT?!?!

This is the second summer in a row that I have lost hens to heat! The temp is over 100 with heat index around 110!! Other than putting ice in their water, providing shade and a fan - is there something else I can do?? Where/how do you provide them a place to lay in heat like this? I do the frozen water bottles in the nesting area but it's still too hot for them and they drop like flies. I'm not here all day to go check on them or do things for them through the day like I keep reading on here though. What about people who can't go out every couple hours to provide fresh ice?? I'm about ready to give up trying to keep chickens. Please help!

We have really high temps here in Texas, too. Last year I set up a 5-outlet misting system - got it pretty cheap on Amazon - and the chickens loved it. I also daily put a frozen 2-liter bottle in their 5-gallon water bucket and kept a box fan running 24/7 to move air through their hoop coop. Even though there are trees all around the H. Coop, we put weed block over the it as well, to block the sun when it was directly overhead.

I didn't lose any chickens last summer and we had record heat/drought conditions until things finally started cooling down in late September.
I just set it up again today since it's going over 105 - and my BO was drenched - she was hogging her place under the mist. The girls really love that misting system!

Hope this helps and good luck to you and your chickens!

I forgot to mention - the misting system is on a cheap automatic water timer that turns on at 1 and off at 5. That way I don't have to mess with it every day - and should work in your situation, as well.

moogie tell more about your misting system. i have a cheap single mister i'm using & it helps some. i don't think it is sufficient in this heat. i also love that you've got it on a timer. i turn mine on around noon & off when i put them up. i'm planning on a brief trip. i won't be here so i plan on leaving the mister on 24/7 which isn't ideal & something can go wrong.

Central Texas Here, It's Hot. My chickens have the shade of a huge hackberry tree. I put their food and water under there with them. I also keep them in ice water all day. Its been in the 100's nearly everyday for the past 2 weeks. So far chickens and turkeys seem just fine. They lay in the coolest spot under the tree and pant. I have read that feeding oats helps keep them cool.

BJ - I bought this one for $16.68 and had free shipping, no tax (Amazon prime) BTW, the tax-free thing runs out here in Texas on Amazon on June 30, 2012.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000P0KSXO/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i01

And I use this water timer that you can get at Lowe's, Home Depot, or Amazon for $25- $29.

http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-62061N-...1340654245&sr=1-3&keywords=orbit+faucet+timer

Hope this helps.

ButchGood - I didn't know that about oats! Good to know!

Edit: I also put a 2" square of hose (like pantyhose) over the screen on the hose to filter out any debris (we're on well water). You don't want anything to clog those little misters - they're a pain to clean!

I wish heat was hat sated me. I live in norther bc and it will be this winter when it -30c that I do not know what to do

i just got back from the chickens. i think my wyandotte is in trouble. she may not make the day. everyone else is relaxed & hanging out under the tree in the mister. i think she's trying to lay her first egg. she's not in the coop, but isolating herself from the others & digging a kind of nest. she's been upset & restless since first thing this morning. she's followed me all around, making upset noises & as soon as i sit on my little stool, she jumps up on my leg. i put an extra mister out there. when she picked her spot she wanted, i put the mister on her. i hope she'll make it. i don't know what else to do to help her.

I just adopted 6 chickens who were being kept in an ac cooled garage. I feel so bad for them, because it is 102 degrees here today, and they are not used to it. I am fortunate enough to be home all day, so I am going out about every 30 minutes and misting everyone down. I am keeping ice in their water. I also added raw ACV and electrolytes to their water. They are kind of stressed from the move, and the heat, so I want to give them the best chance possible to make it through this. The can not free range, because they need to learn the coop is home, but in all honesty, with the huge windows, the coop is not too bad. I also went out and bought them some meal worms as a special treat, and I am giving them lots of cold veggies and fruit. I am very concerned about the heat for all of my animals. My goats have gotten fresh water three times today, and I refilled the pig's pool twice. It has become a full time job keeping them comfy, but no one is used to this heat, and I want to make sure they are all safe. I am on my third shower of the day, lol! Let's just hope we get back down to a comfy 85 degrees again soon. It is going to be a long summer at this rate.