Self cleaning wading pool for hot chickens

[awagnon]

I wish my girls would get in their wading pans. They are sweltering out there. I have lost 50 pounds today just taking ice out to them several times. lol Not really, I just wish. I have tried to show them buy putting the pans out with cool water in them, picking them up and putting their feet in to feel the cool water and they just jump out and run away. They drink from the pans, but won't get in them. This week is gonna be a hot one here in North Texas!

 

[TaylorGlade]

Aside from the great idea on the wading pool, I am intrigued by your tunnels. Do you have other photos of them and could you share what purpose they serve? We are in AZ heat, so share the extreme climate. I've been considering adding a 2nd run and am toying with the idea of a tunnel to connect them.

I was gonna ask the same thing

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Your hens are so smart! Only a couple of mine stand in their “pools,” which are rubber tubs. The others are so dumb and don’t get the hint, even though I put them in the water. Chickens.

 

[Happy Novogens]

I wish my girls would get in their wading pans. They are sweltering out there. I have lost 50 pounds today just taking ice out to them several times. lol Not really, I just wish. I have tried to show them buy putting the pans out with cool water in them, picking them up and putting their feet in to feel the cool water and they just jump out and run away. They drink from the pans, but won't get in them. This week is gonna be a hot one here in North Texas!

Have you put bricks or blocks inside the wading pools for them to stand on? Mine wouldn't go in without them...

 

[awagnon]

yeah, I tried that, but they just want to peck them. ugh Crazy birds!

 

[roostbuster]

Looks like a cool idea

 

[Happy Novogens]

yeah, I tried that, but they just want to peck them. ugh Crazy birds!

Well at least if they peck at them, their waddles should get wet.

 

[odchooks]

Aside from the great idea on the wading pool, I am intrigued by your tunnels. Do you have other photos of them and could you share what purpose they serve? We are in AZ heat, so share the extreme climate. I've been considering adding a 2nd run and am toying with the idea of a tunnel to connect them.

Tunnels are really easy to make- galvenized welded wire fencing made into an arch-big enough for chickens to stand under and secured with garden staples and connected with cable ties. I’ll take a picture and post.

 

[odchooks]

Your hens are so smart! Only a couple of mine stand in their “pools,” which are rubber tubs. The others are so dumb and don’t get the hint, even though I put them in the water. Chickens.

Maybe terra cotta plates are more inviting? or try the bricks like someone else mentioned. Once they figure it out they love it.

 

[odchooks]

My tunnels are kind of overgrown with vegetation, but that keeps them cool, so I haven’t cut it back. It makes it difficult to see but here are some pictures of the tunnels. You can see where it’s attached to the automatic door to the run and to a sand pit that is covered in the black shade cloth. It runs the length of our fence and turns a corner but you can’t see it because I have plants in front of all of it. so they have a lot of room to range and forage bugs but the backyard still looks nice. They spend most of their time in the tunnels despite the beautiful run my husband made for them.