- Jul 25, 2011
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***------Brainstorming on how to convert this idea for a large flock in post #25-----***
Based on some advice we got here on the BYC forums, we had a small cat litter pan that we put a bottle of frozen water in, and found that the chickens would get in there (they are still small) to cool down. But my husband wanted to do MORE. So, he made an igloo. And you can, too!
Yesterday was 107 degrees here, and it breaks my heart to see the stories people are posting about their birds dying in this heat. This is a helpful solution for a few birds, but not a large flock. But, maybe it can inspire you to build something that can help your birds keep cool.
Here is what he built, a straight-on view. You can probably guess the materials he used, I won't try to name this stuff, but you can find something similar at your local hardware/DIY store. That is an old ice bucket at the back that hubby decided not to use in the end, as you'll see later. The idea of a pan with sides works because the cooler air wants to stay low...with the sids of the pan trapping the cool air, the chickens can hang out where it is cooler:
Side view:
My husband had thought he'd put the jug of ice water in the ice bucket, but he decided to do something different when he noticed that after dumping some ice directly on their sand last night, the ice melted and the sand got wet and the girls ran and dug a hole and sat there cooling down.
Since they don't like to stand in water or touch the ice jug itself, hubby decided not to use the ice bucket, but to just bury the frozen jug 1/2 down in the sand he added inside the igloo. (Note: He also put ice cubes, still in their trays, at the bottom - under the sand. As it melted, the sand above it got damp and cool, which they like!)
Here it is inside their pen this morning.
Here is a gratitious shot of my son saying his morning hellos to the girls before school. He's just the right height for us to send him in to retrieve the jugs, too, without taking off the cover to the run.
Based on some advice we got here on the BYC forums, we had a small cat litter pan that we put a bottle of frozen water in, and found that the chickens would get in there (they are still small) to cool down. But my husband wanted to do MORE. So, he made an igloo. And you can, too!
Yesterday was 107 degrees here, and it breaks my heart to see the stories people are posting about their birds dying in this heat. This is a helpful solution for a few birds, but not a large flock. But, maybe it can inspire you to build something that can help your birds keep cool.
Here is what he built, a straight-on view. You can probably guess the materials he used, I won't try to name this stuff, but you can find something similar at your local hardware/DIY store. That is an old ice bucket at the back that hubby decided not to use in the end, as you'll see later. The idea of a pan with sides works because the cooler air wants to stay low...with the sids of the pan trapping the cool air, the chickens can hang out where it is cooler:
Side view:
My husband had thought he'd put the jug of ice water in the ice bucket, but he decided to do something different when he noticed that after dumping some ice directly on their sand last night, the ice melted and the sand got wet and the girls ran and dug a hole and sat there cooling down.
Since they don't like to stand in water or touch the ice jug itself, hubby decided not to use the ice bucket, but to just bury the frozen jug 1/2 down in the sand he added inside the igloo. (Note: He also put ice cubes, still in their trays, at the bottom - under the sand. As it melted, the sand above it got damp and cool, which they like!)
Here it is inside their pen this morning.
Here is a gratitious shot of my son saying his morning hellos to the girls before school. He's just the right height for us to send him in to retrieve the jugs, too, without taking off the cover to the run.
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