Hot summer, over 100F. Okay for chicken brooder?

[ChickenLord33]

We live in Texas and it's been over 100F towards 106F+ for over a month. We just got some new baby chicks in and I have been keeping them at 95F with a heat lamp for certain hours of the night but during the day the lamp is off because it's nearly 100F in their brooder.

Is this going to be a problem? They are under the patio by our house but even in the shade it is hot. What do you do in this situation and how do I handle this when I am supposed to bring the temp down every week? I do not have a garage that is cooled.

 

[SueT]

I have a mama hen with chicks, and it’s over 100º outside, has been for several days, and they are just fine. They don’t go under mama. It’s 104º right now…

 

[akitafriendakita]

I think it can depend on age too, mine needed help cooling down at 6 weeks in 100F. I brought them inside when one of them started drooping his wings slightly to cool off.

They seem to display similar behaviors to full-sized chickens who are overheating so just look out for anything like that. Constant panting/drooping wings. Some people give their chicks electrolyte water in heat like that too to help assist them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

They're going to acclimate to the temperatures you currently have, can't be helped. That does mean that they'll be fully off heat very quickly. Even if you raised them in a cooler area like an air conditioned room when you go to put them outside they'd still need to reacclimate to outside temperatures, just they'd be higher temps instead of lower.

 

[ChickenLord33]

They're going to acclimate to the temperatures you currently have, can't be helped. That does mean that they'll be fully off heat very quickly. Even if you raised them in a cooler area like an air conditioned room when you go to put them outside they'd still need to reacclimate to outside temperatures, just they'd be higher temps instead of lower.

Thank you for your reply! I put a thermostat on their brooder light so I dont have to monitor them every night and so I dont have to worry about it getting too cold at night or too hot in the morning. Appreciate your input!

 

[ChickenLord33]

I think it can depend on age too, mine needed help cooling down at 6 weeks in 100F. I brought them inside when one of them started drooping his wings slightly to cool off.

They seem to display similar behaviors to full-sized chickens who are overheating so just look out for anything like that. Constant panting/drooping wings. Some people give their chicks electrolyte water in heat like that too to help assist them.

Poor girls, I definitely can relate. I feel so bad for our big girls out in the barn. It's gotta be up to 110F sometimes out there, nearly all day for the last 60 days (at least over 100).

Here is what I do to keep them cool:
-Fresh tray of water every morning for them to wade in (18" tray, ~4" deep)
-2 frozen 1gal containers of water on the ground that they can sit around and stand on (sometimes I swap them out for fresh ones halfway through the day)
-Frozen water treat "pucks" up to 2x a day (shallow container of refreshing fruits/veggies like watermelon, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, any scraps around the house-- cover with water and freeze. Crack it up into a few chunks and spread it around the coop so everyone has a chance). I always have about 6 of these ready to go in the freezer.
-No corn in the scratch
-Hose down the area near the coop with water to help cool the air down, I also hose down the barn walls (which are sheet metal) and the interior of the coop so that their feet get wet. It also helps keep the ground cool so that when they sunbathe there is a cooler layer beneath the surface. 1-2 times a day.

I used to use a big box fan, and I would still consider it for temps in the 90's, but when it's over 100F it feels like the box fan just turns the barn into a dehydrator. The air is too hot, so I dont use it when it's so hot. They also usually have a breeze, so that's helpful.

 

[ChickenLord33]

How did your chicks do? I have some right now out in the shed where the brooder temp on the cool side is nearly 90°. They’re a week old and I can’t help but be anxious about them being too hot. I have a fan over the top and some frozen water bottles in the “cool” end. I’m hoping it’ll be an easier transition to the big coop when they’re ready because they’ll already be acclimated to the heat.

I was super anxious and worried last summer during their brooder period but everyone survived just fine! What we did is similar to what you are doing, we put a frozen 1 gallon water container wrapped in a towel inside the brooder on one of the sides. This allowed the chicks to go near it if they were feeling too hot but not make them cold.

I wish you the best of luck! It was nerve racking but I hope you (and them) get through it! If you can bring them inside, that's best case scenario, but we could not.

 

[Lvchickenmama]

How did your chicks do? I have some right now out in the shed where the brooder temp on the cool side is nearly 90°. They’re a week old and I can’t help but be anxious about them being too hot. I have a fan over the top and some frozen water bottles in the “cool” end. I’m hoping it’ll be an easier transition to the big coop when they’re ready because they’ll already be acclimated to the heat.

 

[springvalley123]

How did your chicks do? I have some right now out in the shed where the brooder temp on the cool side is nearly 90°. They’re a week old and I can’t help but be anxious about them being too hot. I have a fan over the top and some frozen water bottles in the “cool” end. I’m hoping it’ll be an easier transition to the big coop when they’re ready because they’ll already be acclimated to the heat.

It's probably already in this thread, but baby chicks can't tolerate ANY amount of hotter than the target. For day olds, they can't handle the heat. Remember they only need to be able to get AS WARM AS for as long as they want, they must be able to get much cooler. I once hoped my Andalusians would tolerate 96 degrees, not only does 96 become 100, it's too hot. I saved one by putting an ice bottle next to it, then rounded them up and brooded inside for the duration. I lost two. As they feather, they become able to regulate body temperature, so I'd do my best to keep them indoors for as long as possible. This is why so many people refuse to brood chicks in the summer time.

Best of luck!