How to keep chickens cool in the heat. Tips wanted!

[jjthink]

You were lucky. Or I should say, they were.

This thread is very very long and unfortunately I can't go back through the whole thing to be sure this isn't duplicative, so my sincere apologies to all if it is, but chickens can only take so much heat before really struggling, or worse. I always tried to have them be as comfortable as possible. Survival wasn't my only goal for them. Their comfort was also an important goal.

Probably mentioned a million times here on BYC, measures employed included:
- fans and more fans
- AC for NJ's digustingly hot and humid days
- access to plenty of shade
- cold and icy fruit treats to cool bodies in the heat of the day (e.g. watermelon, cantelope, blueberries, grapes...)
- water kept cool with blocks of ice
- no heavy foods in the heat of the day
- a low flowing hose, for them to cool their tootsies in on the worst of days

 

[whatthecluck12]

Quote: Same here...
We are in Las Vegas and a few weeks ago our temps hit 115-120! Luckily our humidity levels are considered quite low (8-20%). I'm not sure if these tips would work in a more humid climate, but after we started with this set-up our chickens weren't even panting anymore! First, our coop is under the shade of a leafy tree and due to the placement of the house the whole thing is in shade by 3pm. However with such high temps, even that is insufficient. We add ice to their water as well as an electrolyte. Once the heat spell ends we do a day of nutri-drench to replenish them since their food intake goes to nearly zero in heat like this. Also, NEVER give ACV during high heat. Panting causes the chickens to be in respiratory acidosis and adding more acid (like vinegar) is extremely dangerous. This year we hung burlap around the coop (it's open and meshed all around). Hubby hung misters around the outside too. In some places the mist was able to get "inside" and in some places it just hit the burlap and kept it wet. When the air passes through the burlap it cools it down from evaporation. We noticed that none of the girls liked getting wet from the actual mist, but it did wet the wood chips a bit and they were happy to dig in those areas and cover up with damp bedding. For most of the day they all lined up along the burlap side and dug down a bit. No panting! After a few days of that when we would turn on the mist they would all waddle over to the burlap and wait for the cool down. Not sure if the burlap will last until next summer, but at $12 for 8ft it's definitely cost effective. Plus the misters require a very low amount of water so we don't feel like water hogs here in the desert.

 

[SJ]

My chickens love dust baths. I have noticed that when it gets really hot they go to the dust bowls they have dug under the pines and dig down to the damp earth to cool them selves. If you have something similar in your backyard try keeping the earth around the bowls damp by lightly watering it each night.

 

[BLT79]

You were lucky. Or I should say, they were.

This thread is very very long and unfortunately I can't go back through the whole thing to be sure this isn't duplicative, so my sincere apologies to all if it is, but chickens can only take so much heat before really struggling, or worse. I always tried to have them be as comfortable as possible. Survival wasn't my only goal for them. Their comfort was also an important goal.

Probably mentioned a million times here on BYC, measures employed included:
- fans and more fans
- AC for NJ's digustingly hot and humid days
- access to plenty of shade
- cold and icy fruit treats to cool bodies in the heat of the day (e.g. watermelon, cantelope, blueberries, grapes...)
- water kept cool with blocks of ice
- no heavy foods in the heat of the day
- a low flowing hose, for them to cool their tootsies in on the worst of days

can I do the watermelon with 6 and 8 week old chickens? I also have 8 week old ducks in with them. thanks

 

[BLT79]

Same here...
We are in Las Vegas and a few weeks ago our temps hit 115-120! Luckily our humidity levels are considered quite low (8-20%). I'm not sure if these tips would work in a more humid climate, but after we started with this set-up our chickens weren't even panting anymore! First, our coop is under the shade of a leafy tree and due to the placement of the house the whole thing is in shade by 3pm. However with such high temps, even that is insufficient. We add ice to their water as well as an electrolyte. Once the heat spell ends we do a day of nutri-drench to replenish them since their food intake goes to nearly zero in heat like this. Also, NEVER give ACV during high heat. Panting causes the chickens to be in respiratory acidosis and adding more acid (like vinegar) is extremely dangerous. This year we hung burlap around the coop (it's open and meshed all around). Hubby hung misters around the outside too. In some places the mist was able to get "inside" and in some places it just hit the burlap and kept it wet. When the air passes through the burlap it cools it down from evaporation. We noticed that none of the girls liked getting wet from the actual mist, but it did wet the wood chips a bit and they were happy to dig in those areas and cover up with damp bedding. For most of the day they all lined up along the burlap side and dug down a bit. No panting! After a few days of that when we would turn on the mist they would all waddle over to the burlap and wait for the cool down. Not sure if the burlap will last until next summer, but at $12 for 8ft it's definitely cost effective. Plus the misters require a very low amount of water so we don't feel like water hogs here in the desert.

any way you could post a picture of the burlap idea so I can get a better idea of how to set it up and how it works? thanks

 

[ASimon]

As a "new mom" (Our ladies are a year old) I am totally stressed out by the current heat wave. We built our coop under the shade of a neighbor's tree, which they just cut way back (no more shade on our side of the fence

I moved our ladies to the chicken tractor during the day (heat index is 97 right now). I put a fan on them and have been placing ice cubes in their water all day today. Hoping the heat will break soon, but it is supposed to reach 100 tomorrow. Sigh. Can you believe the silly ladies escaped the tractor somehow to go to the coop to lay their eggs?! I have no clue how they did it, but THEY ARE SMART! I did place a nesting box in the tractor - how can I get them to use it?

 

[PoultryPedia]

Try putting a couple golf balls in it. Often hens will then get the idea that it is a safe place to lay, since there are "eggs" lying there already.

 

[ASimon]

Thank you. Tried that already, in fact, I sacrificed real eggs. No go. I appreciate that someone tried to answer!

 

[Tonkasmum]

Wondering if adding some Sav-a-Chick electrolytes would be a good idea in this heat too?

 

[BLT79]

Wondering if adding some Sav-a-Chick electrolytes would be a good idea in this heat too?

I added that to my chickens water. Also put in another waterer and added ice. I put in a cantaloupe rind, and froze half a watermelon and gave them half of that today! heat index over 90 here today. they loved the watermelon!