Should I consider a another breed

[CharlesnBlue]

Hello Name here is Charles
new chicken owner
was considering ordering some Dominique chickens for my new coop
but the website my pet chicken says they do not stand up well to heat
I live in North Eastern North Carolina where it can get nearly 100 humid and 90 + heat index

Would a solar fan help

thanks

 

[Debbie292d]

A fan might help but just has to be so it's not blowing on any chickens. Even though solar would be risky if there's a week of no sun as they still get a trickle of it, for the most part I'm sure it could keep a fan going pretty much forever.

Welcome to BYC!!

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Welcome to BYC!!! Given how many breeds there are to chose from, my advice is don't get all (however many you're getting,) of one breed. My very first flock was 6 Rhode Island Reds. They did pretty well in heat btw, BUT it was soon a flash of Red, I couldn't tell them apart which made a few things tough, especially for my kids who really wanted to name them. They wound up being chicken, chicken, chicken..... You could consider Barred Rocks, they do well in heat and are beautiful like Dominiques. Good luck!!

 

[SilverBirds]

Welcome to BYC!

I know people here in SC that have Dominiques and other cold hardy breeds, or supposedly not heat hardy breeds, and the birds do fine. I've never used a fan to keep my chickens cool, but if you think it would be helpful, then there's no harm in it. I provide my birds with plenty of shade, multiple places to access fresh water, and good ventilation in the coop.

 

[CharlesnBlue]

Welcome to BYC!

I know people here in SC that have Dominiques and other cold hardy breeds, or supposedly not heat hardy breeds, and the birds do fine. I've never used a fan to keep my chickens cool, but if you think it would be helpful, then there's no harm in it. I provide my birds with plenty of shade, multiple places to access fresh water, and good ventilation in the coop.

ok
I lived in south Carolina if they can survive the heat and humidly they should be fine then

 

[seacrow13]

Hello Name here is Charles
new chicken owner
was considering ordering some Dominique chickens for my new coop
but the website my pet chicken says they do not stand up well to heat
I live in North Eastern North Carolina where it can get nearly 100 humid and 90 + heat index

Would a solar fan help

thanks

Hi! I also live in eastern Carolina and have had many breeds throughout the years, although not Dominique, and I’ve never needed a fan for them. They do have several large bushes that provide shade as well as their coop in the yard, several vessels with cool water throughout the yard, and they also love to use the dirt and sand in the shade of the bushes for cooler dirt baths lol.

I saw SandyRiverChick also recommend Barred Rocks which are another great choice! Also have beautiful coloring and I’ve found them to be a very friendly breed.

 

[Iluveggers]

The reason people say Domoniques are not good in heat is their smal comb, which can make it difficult for them to release heat (kind of like we sweat).

I would recommend Plymouth Rocks, Naked Necks, Australorps, Rhode Island Reds, or Leghorns, all depending on what your main purpose of having chickens is. Are you looking for a friendly bird? More concerned with lots of eggs? A dual-purpose layer that has a decent amount of meat?

Good luck!

 

[Penpal]

I live in Michigan and plenty of people use solar for electricity. We have many many overcast days and sometimes days in a row of rain and/or snow. It still works because the solar charges a battery, it isn't direct.

 

[MenelausMontrose]

I keep bantam Dominiques here near Raleigh NC. They do very well; I've not seen any issues with heat.

That said they have full shade in their run, and they are bantams, which have a higher body surface area to mass ratio.