All Set For Another Scorcher Here Today

[PriceFamilyFarms]

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Yes, it is nuts - I'm originally from California and have been here right about 2 years now

 

[suebee]

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I saw your 5 day forecast on the weather channel. Triple digits across the boards.

 

[Happy Chooks]

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Probably why we're called Sunny CA.

 

[HHandbasket]

I just heard we could hit 102 here tomorrow in the Sacramento valley. Ugh. Hard to believe we had snow falling an hour from here in the Sierras 5 weeks ago and that ski resorts were open for Memorial Day weekend this year.

We know if we're too hot, the chickens are too hot. We ran an oscillating fan out to the coop from an extension cord in the garage a couple of days ago, and the girls sit in the shade in front of the fan & seem to be doing well with that. We also moved their coop this past Tuesday, and my DH and youngest son built a bigger run so they only have the heat of the day for about an hour instead of 3 like it was in their old spot. They also gave me a door so I can go into the henhouse without crawling in chicken poop.

I have decided that should the heat become unbearable for my birds, I will not hesitate to stick them in a big dog crate and bring them into the house for short periods in the afternoon to keep them from getting sick or over-heated.

This begs the question I had not thought of before: Does the heat adversely affect their egg production? One would think so, but I am still learning so much about them.

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

I hear all of you talk about this bad weather come down to Oklahoma where its 95+ with a humidity of 64% Wish i could say all my birds are doing well but thats not the case there dropping dead especially the cornish rock Hope you keep that fair weather going

 

[Morgan7782]

HH are you here in Sacramento as well? I am in Alameda, CA right now, but just helping my sister move. It's FREEZING down here compared to Sac!!!! I left a detail list of instructions for my mom to care for the chickens and keep them cool. My girls don't seem to have too big an issue with the heat yet, they tend to find shade and lay down and cool off. I wish I was home so I could watch over them though

I always feel better when I can see them and judge whats normal and whatnot. I've been reading a lot of threads that a lot of people do say heat has an impact on production, more likely then not, to slow it down. I am new too though

Had my last chickens in Grass Valley, and didn't get as hot there as here.

 

[digitS']

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The loss of production is partly due to the hens' loss of appetite because of the heat.

If they cut back enough on their feed, they won't have enough protein to make an egg.

By itself, it isn't unhealthy. Body maintenance doesn't use up any more than a quarter of the protein in their feed. The rest of that protein -- goes into egg production. But, if they aren't eating it, it doesn't - and, they won't lay.

Steve

 

[Happy Chooks]

Well from the weather forecast, it appears as though we'll only have hot for 2 days, then it's going back down to the 80's. I noticed yesterday my black chickens were panting and the others were not. So I'll have to keep a closer eye on the black ones. I have frozen water cubes in the freezer to add to their waterer to keep it cool. And of course they are getting cold watermelon also.

 

[Morgan7782]

How odd! I have 1 Barred Rock and 1 EE, both in my avatar, and the only one usually panting is the EE, the LIGHTER colored one! Joon, my BR rarely pants, and when she does I know it's hot! Munk, my EE, she pants at anything lol. Any sort of exertion in the heat she starts panting, and her poor feet get so warm. She jumped on my arm yesterday and I was surprised at how warm the bottoms of her feet were. I usually have a sprinkler or hose running to create a puddle, for some reason they won't go into any kind of container with water in it, has to be the hose. Munk was lying UNDER the running water yesterday lol, totally content to get sopping wet, and then took a dust bath which quickly turned to MUD.

I am worried about them today though.. I sure hope to gosh my mom watches them..

closely!

 

[chics in the sun]

I'm used to the heat, but this is a bit nuts! I tried something new yesterday - I put out a big bowl of water and put a frozen bottle of water in it. That way it melted a lot slower than ice, and kept the water cold almost all day. My birds are handling the heat pretty well so far, and they have dug some impressive dust baths!