Beating the heat

[feldon]

Don't know if this is the right forum for this question, but I was wondering how everyone is dealing with the heat wave & thier chickens?. We are heading up to the 90's & into mid 90's tomorrow. I have a fan going in the coop, all the 'girls' are standing around with their beaks open. I put a big umbrella up in the run for some shade..hopefully... What are you all doing?
feldon

 

[alex]

well, my chickens usually take dust baths. . .give them soil and dust to dig in and bathe in. . .
-alex

 

[pawtraitart]

I soak the ground in part of their run in the morning so that by afternoon there is a nice spot for them to dig into the cool earth. I also give them "squash-cicles". I always have more squash than I need in my garden so I run some through the food processor and then freeze. They love them.

 

[dlhunicorn]

http://p072.ezboard.com/fbackyardchickensfrm1.showMessage?topicID=22798.topic

 

[chicknmania]

We can't do this too often, since it's hot and dry here too and we're getting worried about water shortages, but our chickens love to stand in running water from the hose. You lay the hose on the ground and they'll come and stand in it, and drink forever. It's funny to watch.

 

[mom'sfolly]

Mine free range during the day. Their cool spot is under a rose bush. It has bare ground for dust baths and a wet spot from the airconditioner run off. When it is really hot, all the time now, I spray the bush in the late afternoon, so they have drippy cool water. I also prop up the coop lid so the heat doesn't build up too much during the day. They are only in the building at night

 

[RioLindoAz]

When thier throats are pumping, thats called panting. I make them stop by misting them outside of the coop and run. The reason I do it outside is so no mold can form in the coop.

 

[SandraChick]

They LOVE watermelon--nice cool hydrading treat

Last year I remember someone mentioning that their birds stopped laying with the heat, but started right up again when she starting giving them icewater in the afternoon...

Sorry I don't remember the details.

OH--get corn out of their diet (it's considered a HOT feed...good as a late evening treat during cold winters!)

Sandra

 

[Chirpy]

As I'm just learning about all this too I did find one thing that really seemed to help my chickens cool down.

Once or twice a day I lightly (I don't want mud) spray the chicken run with the hose, using my thumb over the end so it 'sprays' out and doesn't run out. I just barely get the ground damp and then stop.

My chickens love it ... they roll around and dig for spots to lay in. If they were in the hen house when I start to spray they all come running out when I'm done and start digging and bathing.

 

[RioLindoAz]

Quote:
mine love watermelon too