I live in Gilbert, AZ, not too far from you. We call our hobby farm Chicken Scratch Ranch.
Keeping your chickens alive during the summer can be a challenge if the weather is super hot with humidity and no wind, which happens sometimes during the monsoon season, between June and August. Chickens need ventilation first and formost above anything else in hot weather. They cool themselves by lifting their wings up and letting air pass under them, as well as with their comb and wattles, by opening their mouths and panting, and with their feet by touching cool areas, perches, or water. Although, be warned that water can be a catalyst for illness and bacteria to spread among chickens. So, instead of wetting their location down, here are some ideas for keeping chickens cool in the AZ summers:
1. Provide shelter in a breezeway, where, if there is wind, it will blow on them and help them to stay cool.
2. Fill as many 2 liter plastic soda bottles more than halfway with water, but not full, with water. Freeze them and place them in the shady spots where the chickens usually lay. That way, they can cool themselves by laying against them. I keep two sets of as many as I need, freezing one set, while cooling the chickens with the other. Then I can start each day with new bottles. It is a little laborious, but worth having live chickens.
3. If they sleep indoors or in a coop, provide fans or a swamp cooler for air circulation. Chickens are creatures of habit, especially when hens become broody. They will sometimes try to sleep in areas that are too hot for them to survive in. If they are smart enough, they will migrate to the coolest places they can find in the summer. If those places are not cool enough, your chickens may not survive. I have a couple of pens for chickens that have a limited amount of shade in the summer. They are great for winter time, but I move the chickens to the coolest pens, which have a barn or lots of shade from trees, and a breezeway. I provide perches in the shade, such as a frame from a round glass outdoor table or frames for lounge chairs without the cushions on them. They perch in the breeziest spot on those at night, and they do very well in the summers because they have a variety of ways to cool themselves.
4. Make sure their water is in the shade, or it will get too hot to drink. I use automatic waterers because it is also too hot for me midday in the summer here in AZ. The auto waterers are gifts from heaven, making caring for chickens in AZ a ton easier! I still have to clean them out from time to time at night, but I don't have to refill them daily like I did when I had refillable waterers.
5. Allow them to graze on grass if you have it. Summer is when the grass grows well here in AZ. Let them forage, as well as feed on organic lay crumble. I am convinced that grassfed chickens are not only healthier, but more resistant to disease and heat.
Hope this helps! Come and see us sometime and pick my brain for any other info you may need. www.chickenscratchranch.net
wonderful advice, it sounds like your chickens are spoiled brats just like most of us that have them.Chickens and frozen treats? people say that we are crazy chicken folk.. glad you joined in..
