100 degrees for two weeks

[wastintime202]

I am worried about my hens and the terrible drought we are having in Texas. They are laying fairly well..but they pant and lay around. Is there some relief I can give them? I am new to raising hens and love it so far. Never knew they could be so fun. I have two red stars one americana and one black star. Does anyone know if these breeds are durable in this hot weather?

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Brutally hot here too.

The best things you can do is make sure they can get under shade at all times and make sure you have lots of water available. If your climate isn't too humid it really helps to provide a wet space on the ground where they can cool off during the worst part of the day. A fellow Arizonan BYCer uses a regular hose hooked up to a timer that runs just for a minute or so to wet the ground in the hottest time of the day; I think that's an excellent idea. I have trees and vines that I irrigate on a rotating schedule so that they can wade into the water and "dust bathe" in the damp soil once the water drains. Some people freeze gallon jugs of water so that chickens can move up against them. Good luck and

 

[Roo on Harley]

I'm not complaining, water, feed, water

 

[gryeyes]

I find that my birds like to congregate around the kiddie pool for the ducks, and occasionally I've seen the dominant rooster and a hen or two stand IN it on very hot days.

I have used a "mister" - the coiled hard plastic hose thingie - looks like a snake rearing up to strike - to cool down the run. The chickens really liked that. I've also frozen small watermelon cubes and put them into a pan of water for the flock.

I even went so far as to buy a large yard umbrella to open over the top of one of my many coops, to keep the temperature down a tad in it.

 

[ginnyj]

This past week was really hot in Florida so I got a "mister" attachment for my hose and placed in top of the wire in their run. It misted down on them and the all of my 8 week old chicks stood at attention as the cool mist wafted down on them. It seemed to help.

 

[southerndesert]

When I first started keeping chickens in Arizona (Central Desert) I was really worried the first couple summers with all the panting my birds would do, but it is their normal way of cooling and I got used to seeing them do it. I offer lots of shade and will wet an area for them to get their feet wet (helps cool them allot) and have also used a large flat pan with a couple inches of water in it for them to walk in and they actually use it allot. Yes I also use the snake looking mister when it gets above 110 which it does often here in Morristown, AZ. Also use fans in the hen house and have lots of ventilation.

Never have lost a bird to heat stroke as yet and hope not to....

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Find a large plastic pan or the disposable cooking pans to fill and freeze. Also placing box fans to give a breeze is working here in FL. They are $14 at walmart and home depot.

 

[luvinrunnin]

My pens are under trees and it helps IMMENSELY!! Mine seem to do well and I don't notice that they are panting. Temps have been hovering at around 100 here. Was 101 today.

 

[calicochicken]

Wow! SouthernDesert! That's really hot! I thought NC summers got hot. You have encouraged me though as we face another hot week here in NC.

 

[BoltonChicken]

I was really worried the first couple summers with all the panting my birds would do, but it is their normal way of cooling

That is so true. Their panting is like your sweating. Chickens have lived domesticated in this heat for a couple of centuries now and with thrive AS LONG AS they are furnished the following:

Shade
Dirt beneath them
Air circulation around them
Water

Thats all. If you have those four things and are still feeling guilty because you are in an air-conditioned house and they are not, then put a fan on them like the commercial growers do.
You do not need to furnish them ice or swimming pools. They are tropical birds after all, and are a heck of a lot more able to survive the heat than human beings.
Now if you have them on concrete in the sun with no water, they will probably die. Just like you would.