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- #51
I left this thread feeling silly and needed to walk away from it. Yesterday it got to 101° in Minneapolis. I see a bird dragging wings on the ground and panting audibly (ragged breathing) she comes inside for 15 minutes and I hold feet in cool water. Grab another bird, repeat. Spraying down the grass they walk in, though it seems like it dries up in minutes. Water everywhere, I bought giant dog bowls that are short enough for them to accidentally walk into (to encourage them to do it and get evaporative cooling going), in every area the birds like to be on the property, so they don't need to go far for it, check the temp of the water and refresh all bowls and buckets (I have two 10 gallon nipple waterers too) several times a day. They do not like ice/frozen fruit or veggies, the temperature must be uncomfortable and when they can't peck anything off the ice they walk away. Frozen peas and watermelon isn't nutritious anyway and could potentially displace good nutrition from their crumble and forage so this doesn't upset me much.
They do not look good. I felt like an idiot wanting air conditioning after talking to others, but every website I've read says my birds are exhibiting major signs of heat stroke and I'm running out of things to try. I did research on evaporative cooling techniques but the humidity here hasn't dropped below wet bulb 55 in weeks and is often at 70 or more. Evaporative cooling works when the air is dry. The air is not dry, it's wet, gross and just shy of being a beverage you breathe.
Someone said something to the effect that AC would exit out the door. No it will not. There's a square 8" door the chickens come in and out of and the rest of the building is secure. It is built on a concrete foundation and designed to match my house, with matching windows, siding, roofing. It is ventilated and insulated and if I wanted to, I could put a couch and a TV in there. I'm not concerned about the cool air leaving the building and whatever does vent out that 8" door, oh well cost of living pets, I'll pay it.
I'm thinking my next plan is to buy a giant case freezer and fill it with 5 gallon buckets with water in them. At noon, pull the ice buckets and direct fans to blow across them. This was a method I read from someone else, who claimed it dropped their coop from 104 to 86. I love that this will cost me twice as much or more than the AC to pull off.
They do not look good. I felt like an idiot wanting air conditioning after talking to others, but every website I've read says my birds are exhibiting major signs of heat stroke and I'm running out of things to try. I did research on evaporative cooling techniques but the humidity here hasn't dropped below wet bulb 55 in weeks and is often at 70 or more. Evaporative cooling works when the air is dry. The air is not dry, it's wet, gross and just shy of being a beverage you breathe.
Someone said something to the effect that AC would exit out the door. No it will not. There's a square 8" door the chickens come in and out of and the rest of the building is secure. It is built on a concrete foundation and designed to match my house, with matching windows, siding, roofing. It is ventilated and insulated and if I wanted to, I could put a couch and a TV in there. I'm not concerned about the cool air leaving the building and whatever does vent out that 8" door, oh well cost of living pets, I'll pay it.
I'm thinking my next plan is to buy a giant case freezer and fill it with 5 gallon buckets with water in them. At noon, pull the ice buckets and direct fans to blow across them. This was a method I read from someone else, who claimed it dropped their coop from 104 to 86. I love that this will cost me twice as much or more than the AC to pull off.
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