I love your ideas! I'm going to try them this weekend, it's been hot hot as hell!I live in Idaho and our temps have been running really hot this week yesterday was 110 and my poor hens we so hot they have loads of shade here too but I just also put out gal jugs of water that were frozen and tipped over so when they thawed the water would drain into a pan they love it .... they walk in it and stand in it and drink the water too I keep one in the hen house and one under it you might try it can't hurt.