103 degrees today....overheated hens

[newchickmomma4]

This is my routine.  I have a fan pointed at the nests for the layers.  I have a fan moving the air in the coop.  I put ice in all the water.  Lots.  And I have 30+ chickens.  I also run a hose some days on the ground for a few hours and they do walk in the puddle and stop panting.  I have also kept a basin of water and had to dunk a chicken now and then.  One would stay in there without force.  But it sure cooled them off.  The mist fans didn't work for me because of the humidity in Florida.  I currently have 2 fans going right now, but have 5 fans total.  They mostly run all summer.  I pay about $30-$40 on Amazon for fans that work better than box fans.

Some people put out frozen grapes or watermelon.  I think my ice is the thing that works the best.

What type of fans do you use? How do you mount them? Clean them, etc?

 

[Ciqala]

Last summer I put frozen water bottles in front of a battery operated fan {bought at Home Depot}, they loved it and would get in front of it. It really made a difference in the temperature of their coop.


Redneck air conditioning, lol.

 

[gardenchic]

I bought a cheap mister at Home Depot and that works here in Kansas. Look up how to make a redneck air conditioner with a styrofoam minnow bucket, a 5 gallon plastic bucket, a small fan, pieces of pvc pipe and frozen milk jugs. I already run fans and put frozen bottles out. This looked so cool!

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Can't remember the brands but I know on amazon they have a lot of good comments, and usually say that they are high power. I usually end up standing them in the coop, or hanging them with twine. I take a brush sometimes and brush the feathers and dust off the back of the fan.

 

[cafarmgirl]

My barn/coop fans came from Amazon, they are the Lasko brand. They sit on a metal, triangular frame and can either sit on the floor or be wall mounted. I have one sitting in the feed area that blows into the main barn area and one mounted on the ceiling of each coop aimed at the roost area. They are very powerful and have three settings so they can be adjusted depending on how hot it is. They aren't terribly expensive and mine have lasted for years, great investment.