Too hot for a chicken.?!

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SammileeChickie

SammileeChickie

Songster
Mar 7, 2015
284
33
126
Southern California
Hello everyone, I have three chickens and I saw on the news that it is going to get hot next week, one day will be 111.! With that being said I'm soo worried for my chickens :( I will be putting a little plastic pool in their cage today so they can wade in but any other ideas.? It doesn't ever get too cold for a chicken here in SoCal so can I trim some of their feathers, like cut some of their feathers under their wings and butt in half.? I feel so bad for them it's going to be so hot :( their whole run is shaded and lots of sand to dirt bathe.
 
Shade and plenty of water, spray the outside of the coop with water in the late afternoon to reduce inside temperature. Set up a sprinkler so that chickens have a choice to under it or not. Ducks would like a pool, but I don't. Think chickens will use it. I have heard of freezing pop bottles, and then placing them so they can lay next to them. A fan will also help. But don't be too surprised, if they don't like these things. What they really need is shade,water and a breeze, but have it set up so that they have a choice to do it or not. They know more about being a chicken than either you or I do.

You may need to fill their water a couple times a day as they should drink more water than usual
 
I really really wouldn't trim any of their feathers unless somebody knowledgeable comes on here and gives you the okay. Let me explain why. I have a furry dog and used to live in a really hot place. I thought I was doing the dog a favor by getting her hair cut short during the summer. Until a vet told me that was actually bad. The dog's hair, when kept long, actually kept her insulated better against the heat. When it was short, she actually got hotter. It sounds weird but I stopped getting her hair cut and she did better in the heat. Just food for thought!
 
As long as they have feed, water, shade, (and ventilation if caged,) they should be fine. It's gets around & over 100* here in June, July & Aug and my chickens walk around with their wings drooping and panting like a dog. That's pretty much normal.
 
I would keep a bucket full of room temp water incase you have to dunk one if its too hot. I the days i know its going to be hot i spray the whole run down early with water. I have sun shades up giving tons of cover from the sun, i have mini fans in the coop always circulating air, and if its over 100 i dunk them all right before the hottest point in the day. I dont soak them but get them damp
 
I always have a couple of two liters frozen. I use them for deer , coolers, and portable ac.

Attach /tape the frozen 2liter behind the fan and have it provide a cooling breeze to the chickens. Once melted, change it out with another and re-freeze. I've also heard of chickens laying on frozen bottles of water.
 
I put down a large shallow tray and dump a bunch of ice cubes in there...also dump a pile right on the ground in the shady part of run and some in waterers.
Turn on fan in east coop window in the evening to bring some cooler air in.
Lots of shade as deep/dark as possible.
 
Don't trim feathers ...these keep them cool as well as warm. How about putting up some shade cloth over the run? My month old chicks just moved out to their pen within the coop yesterday. It was 97° here. I have a fan in there, and they can go out into a small run covered in shade cloth. They like resting in front of the fan best.
 
118' today here in Arizona. Chickens were suffering, I bought a 100 air conditioner unit and a thermostat from amazon. Locked my chickens in the coop set the air to 80 and they are doing great. Makes me feel better as well. :) (only have 3 chickens)

 
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