KEEPING CHICKENS COOL

[BruceAZ]

off topic for a bit..

even dogs die in the arizona heat

if i'm outside all day with no AC or water. i don't think i can make it either

 

[beerlady]

I, too, live in AZ and have 3 month old chicks. I've found that extra moisture near the coop in the form or a mister or soaked ground invites a ton of flies. I do have a pre-fab coop from Costco, but to increase the shade area I also bought a Shade Sail from Costco that I was able to secure to the fence, eaves, and ground to give them quite a bit more area during the mid-day sun. They are close enough to a wall that the mid to late afternoon sun doesn't hit them. Also, a few slices of frozen watermelon each day are a big hit. They are still panting, but I feel more confident they can handle it.

 

[BruceAZ]

I, too, live in AZ and have 3 month old chicks. I've found that extra moisture near the coop in the form or a mister or soaked ground invites a ton of flies. I do have a pre-fab coop from Costco, but to increase the shade area I also bought a Shade Sail from Costco that I was able to secure to the fence, eaves, and ground to give them quite a bit more area during the mid-day sun. They are close enough to a wall that the mid to late afternoon sun doesn't hit them. Also, a few slices of frozen watermelon each day are a big hit. They are still panting, but I feel more confident they can handle it.

which one did you buy ?

such a huge price drop on the white color coop. the same for the raised garden bed.. sometimes.. the price they have is not really the best deal

but at least they are better than petsmart..

did you add more ventilation holes/gaps/windows? for the prefab coop you bought?

 

[beerlady]

Hi Bruce. It's the same manufacturer but slightly different. It was about $315 out the door.I replaced the door with a solid sheet of plywood to keep a particularly persistent dog out. I also
reinforced the hardware cloth on all the panels

 

[ShanandGem]

I put an oscillating fan (just household type) in my coop (metal garden shed) with my 13 Ameraucana and Orpington chicks. They have ventilation holes that I drilled up high and fully open one door and put a screen in during the day. It's almost completely shaded but the fan made all the difference in the world. Just getting that hot stagnant air moving is a step in the right direction.
I leave the fan on at night when I shut the door and lock up and it is downright chilly in there in morning.

 

[BruceAZ]

this is another thing

pets or chickens. when it's 80-90+ outside or like here 110+..

if you are using the water from the garden hose.. make sure that it's cool..

usually i'll flush it for 10 seconds (until cool) before filling up the waterer for my chickens

this is a mistake that a lot of people made.. filling up their pets/livestock waterer with hot water from the garden hose without realizing it

the hose can be in the shaded area all day.. and it will still get hot.. due to properties of water and heat transfer

be sure to flush the water in the garden hose for 10 seconds or so (or until cool) during the hot summer day before use.

don't water your plants with the hot water either..

 

[beerlady]

I saw that on TV. Poor little guy. Good reminder, BruceAZ.

 

[ShanandGem]

We are headed out of town on Friday and I am very grateful that our heat wave has passed. My smaller chicks didn't seem all that fussed but my almost mature Orpingtons with their beautiful thick feathers were not happy. I wet their run, fed them frozen blueberries, made sure they had ample shade but they were still clearly uncomfortable.

 

[BruceAZ]

Hi Bruce. It's the same manufacturer but slightly different. It was about $315 out the door.I replaced the door with a solid sheet of plywood to keep a particularly persistent dog out. I also
reinforced the hardware cloth on all the panels

sorry beerlady.. i didn't see this post until today..

you bought this at costco?

the wood frame of the coop.. is it 1x2? or 2x2 ?

looks pretty thin.. but it's like this for most pre-fab coop/run for some reason :/

i used 2x4 for mine..which i have to admit was a bit excessive 2x3 should have been fine and would be easier for me to move around (with a hand truck)

i don't know how big your coop is but it should have aluminum or galvanized plate ? pretty easy to clean if you decide to not use any bedding for the floor of the coop..

i coated (3x) the removable floor of my coop with this stuff.. originally i wanted to use the aluminum sheet...but at $16-$22 a sheet.. i didn't bother

 

[beerlady]

yes, it is indeed a bit flimsy. Originally we were going to build a coop but my husband kept coming up with these chicken palace designs that were way too big and cumbersome to build. Not to mention it takes him 6 times as long as the average person to build, in fact he was given the task prior to getting the chicks and after 6 weeks of them being in my dining room I decided that insulting his manhood and buying a coop was worth it. I still wish we had built one, especially considering the cost of upgrading.