Can I really dunk my chickens in cool water on extremely hot days? (1st time owner)

[mygoldengirls]

I have read it other places, but the person I purchased from said I should never let them get wet.
I'm a little confused and just want to be able to cool them off when the temps are unbearable here.

I have 4 15 week old bantam cochins, and one Japanese bantam.

Thanks for any advice in advance!

 

[boskelli1571]

I have read it other places, but the person I purchased from said I should never let them get wet.
I'm a little confused and just want to be able to cool them off when the temps are unbearable here.

I have 4 15 week old bantam cochins, and one Japanese bantam.

Thanks for any advice in advance!

You can stand them in cool water, but don't get their feathers wet. They can't regulate their temp if you do. Cool drinking water - add ice cubes, you can make fruit slushies or simply freeze some fruit into an ice block, them they can peck away all day. Do they have any shade to lie under? If not, a tarp strung over some poles will provide some shade for them.
They are fairly hardy creatures - but if you notice them panting or looking distressed, stand them in the water.

 

[erkadoo]

For hot days I leave doors open during day and have a chicken wire doors made to keep out predators this lets wind through. I personally wouldn't dip them because it only provide temporary comfort, and may cause shock. I do not know this for a fact but anything's possible right.

 

[Wxguru]

My chickens love the rain, and won't bat an eye at it...they get completely soaked....never would know they were bothered. They keep right on hunting for bugs and other goodies.

 

[azygous]

A little water isn't going to hurt a chicken, especially on a hot day. I used to turn the hose spray on my rooster on very hot days, and he would love it.

I do avoid getting any chicken completely soaking wet, although one got caught out in a severe hail storm once, and she returned, completely soaked, but none the worse for it. She dried off quickly.

I have given a chicken a complete bath before after she had had the bad judgement of hanging out under a perch and gotten thoroughly pooped on. It took half an hour to blow dry her.

Chickens get a new set of feathers every year, so if they get wet a few times, it could lower the quality of the feathers, but feathers are subject to a lot more wear and tear than just water. Don't worry about it. It won't kill them to get wet.

 

[aart]

I've had them voluntarily stay out in the rain and get pretty darn soaked.....looked as bad as a wet cat, lol ...but it was fairly warm and they were fine.

Boskelli1571 has some good suggestions.

I put out shallow pans of ice water out in the run in the shade if it gets really hot...stood a couple birds in it, most didn't like it but one who seems the first and worst effected by the heat stiffened at first then relaxed, I swear I heard her sigh with relief and she quit panting.

Wetting the dirt in the run in the shade can help too, they will dig into the cool earth and loaf there.

Shade, lots of cool water and fans if possible.
There poops will get loose as they consume, and release, more water than usual to shed heat from their bodies.

 

[curtisbirds]

I place frozen water bottles next to my chickens dusting patch in my yard, it's under a bush. They roll around in the dust and the frozen bottles keep the ground cooler. I also have a child's hard plastic pool under a large shade tree with about two inches of water in it and they love to just stand in it when it's really hot. And mine get wet all the time they will chase you if you have the hose so they can run under the spray when you turn it on, but they hate the rain.