Cooling 'em down!

[JosieMae]

Hi all!
Every night my hens roost inside the coop and we close the door to the run for that extra protection. Its REALLY hot right now, and I'm wondering, what should I do to keep them cool inside the coop? Also, I've been misting the sand during the day in the run and putting ice in the water. ONE MORE THING I'm going to be taking a vacation soon and the weather is looking pretty hot, so what should I do to keep them cool while I'm gone so that the pet sitter doesn't have to do anything?

 

[wynn4578]

on our portable coops (my avatar is a drawing of it) one side opens up and becomes a big screen window. In the front is 2 windows. Above the nest box are 3 more windows and The back is almost all door that has a window in it that is just slightly smaller than the door. So basically I tried to design them so the chickens would be safe but be able to open it up and make it as close to them roosting outside as possible.

For my older coop (not portable) the front slides open and has a wire door to hat can be closed to protect them. Both side have a large window. The top of the coop is a double roof so air can circulate between the 2 ( kind of like an attic). When it gets really hot I have an oscillating fan that circulates air and draws fresh air inside the coop (not pointed at the chickens).

The key is to vent as much as possible. Keep air moving in and out of your coop and keep the coop itself from getting hot. You can place a 2x4 on the ridge of your coop and stretch a tarp from one side over the 2x4 and to the other side to make a makeshift attic on your coop. That alone can drop the temps SEVERAL degrees.

 

[azygous]

You're doing everything you can. But adding a fan in the coop and one in the run, if possible, will definitely help. That's what I do.

I also freeze a block of ice with canned corn in it. The chickens are intent on getting to the corn and peck away at the ice all day and drink the ice melt in the process. It definitely keeps them cooler.

 

[aart]

Hi all!
Every night my hens roost inside the coop and we close the door to the run for that extra protection. Its REALLY hot right now, and I'm wondering, what should I do to keep them cool inside the coop? Also, I've been misting the sand during the day in the run and putting ice in the water. ONE MORE THING I'm going to be taking a vacation soon and the weather is looking pretty hot, so what should I do to keep them cool while I'm gone so that the pet sitter doesn't have to do anything?

More info on your coop and run, and pics, would really help anyone give advice specific to your situation. Knowing your climate(put your location in your profile) could have much weight on viable solutions.

Deep all day shade is probably the best way to protect the birds from heat.
Moistening that shaded ground will help even more, if it's not moist already.

I use large shallow pans with ice cubes for them to walk around in and sit in as they sip the cold water as it melts, they need no encouragement to drink this melt water and they don't get too much too fast(I have seen a chicken with and 'ice cream headache').

I also give a dose of Savachik electrolytes every few days during a heat wave lasting more than a few days. Had hen with heat stroke last summer, it saved her and helped the rest of the flock too.

 

[JosieMae]

More info on your coop and run, and pics, would really help anyone give advice specific to your situation. Knowing your climate(put your location in your profile) could have much weight on viable solutions.

Deep all day shade is probably the best way to protect the birds from heat.
Moistening that shaded ground will help even more, if it's not moist already.

I use large shallow pans with ice cubes for them to walk around in and sit in as they sip the cold water as it melts, they need no encouragement to drink this melt water and they don't get too much too fast(I have seen a chicken with and 'ice cream headache').

I also give a dose of Savachik electrolytes every few days during a heat wave lasting more than a few days. Had hen with heat stroke last summer, it saved her and helped the rest of the flock too.

I live in Washington state, so not usually too hot, but today is in the 90s. They have an area of shade they hang out in all day underneath the raised coop in the run and they get a nice breeze, sometimes and I mist down the sand. The corn idea is great! As well as the water! Thanks!

 

[MasAhora]

I am scared of fans or electrics in the coop being left on -won't do it, ever! There is too much dust, etc and the risk of fire is too great especially in hot weather.
If your coop does not get great shade, then perhaps rig up some shade cloth where the afternoon sun hits, make sure there is a 3-4 foot gap between the shade cloth and coop. This idea is to block the sun from heating the coop but to also let the heat escape.

Jump on this thread if you have not already, might help you some:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/topic-of-the-week-keeping-chickens-cool-in-summer.1181934/

 

[grnidone]

So glad I found this thread. Yesterday was 106 with a 20 MPH south wind. It felt like opening an oven door. Today is more of the same. It's downright miserable.

I've put a sprinkler under the shaded portion of their coop and running it for 15 or so minutes to try to get the area wet and cool things down.

I've also propped up the roof of my coop by 6 inches to vent out heat. I'm a bit concerned that this will open the roof too much, and let IN hot air, but not sure what else to do. I think maybe I need to build in an extra vent at the top or put a 4 inch whirlybird on the roof to pull air up through the top.

https://www.amazon.com/Unknown-Ventilator-Turbine-4in/dp/B0071NBXYG/

 

[JosieMae]

So glad I found this thread. Yesterday was 106 with a 20 MPH south wind. It felt like opening an oven door. Today is more of the same. It's downright miserable.

I've put a sprinkler under the shaded portion of their coop and running it for 15 or so minutes to try to get the area wet and cool things down.

I've also propped up the roof of my coop by 6 inches to vent out heat. I'm a bit concerned that this will open the roof too much, and let IN hot air, but not sure what else to do. I think maybe I need to build in an extra vent at the top or put a 4 inch whirlybird on the roof to pull air up through the top.

https://www.amazon.com/Unknown-Ventilator-Turbine-4in/dp/B0071NBXYG/

Glad you found it as well!
Yes, misting is great. Also make sure all their water is cold...I put ice cubes in. I also put out a shallow pan of cold water they can get in and also give them chilled watermelon! Hope this helps!

 

[aart]

So glad I found this thread. Yesterday was 106 with a 20 MPH south wind. It felt like opening an oven door. Today is more of the same. It's downright miserable.

I've put a sprinkler under the shaded portion of their coop and running it for 15 or so minutes to try to get the area wet and cool things down.

I've also propped up the roof of my coop by 6 inches to vent out heat. I'm a bit concerned that this will open the roof too much, and let IN hot air, but not sure what else to do. I think maybe I need to build in an extra vent at the top or put a 4 inch whirlybird on the roof to pull air up through the top.

https://www.amazon.com/Unknown-Ventilator-Turbine-4in/dp/B0071NBXYG/

What kind of coop do you have?
Probably would be good to start a new thread titled 'please help with coop ventilation' here:https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/coop-run-design-construction-maintenance.9/create-thread
with pics and dimensions of your coop.

 

[jeria]

So glad I found this thread. Yesterday was 106 with a 20 MPH south wind. It felt like opening an oven door. Today is more of the same. It's downright miserable.

Dang hot!! Watching the weather out that way as encroaching on me. 113 heat index here today with that hot wind. One thing from the keeping chickens cool thread was to freeze containers of water -soda bottles, gal jugs, etc. and set them in the coop and /or run to give them a cooler place to get close to as it will cool the surrounding air. Reusable as well-- wash them off and re-freeze.