Black silkies

[featherbaby]

Now it's PERSONAL! My best splash hen died this afternoon. I presume it was the heat, although I have fans blowing through the coops and frozen water bottles on the floor (which most of them avoid like the plague, go figure?) I am SO worried about the others. She was such a beauty and the mother of two beautiful pullets. I am so upset because I want to do more to keep them cool, but what?

I like the idea of the fan through the wet sheet, but doesn't it severely limit the air flow through it? Maybe if I put up something with a looser weave? I know greenhouses use osmunda fiber mats with recirculated water trickling through as a fan blows through the wet fiber. I don't know where to buy this fiber mat. Does anyone here know? I'd still have to go out there every hour and wet it unless I could rig up some way to pump and recirculate the water through it.

I bought those 'blue ice' refreezable packs today. I'll scatter them in the coops tomorrow. I don't know how long they'll last or how much cool they will provide, but I had to do SOMETHING! I just can't watch my precious babies die!!!!!

 

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

Quote:

. I lost two splash cockerels last year due to the heat. Everything else was fine. I was surprised that it was the splash that didn't survive. I thought they would have a better chance than the blacks.

ETA: FarmTek http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/cat1a;ft1_greenhouses_accessories.html might have something

 

[CarolinaChickenKeeper]

Last year Lowes had electric misting fans. Also, there r misters that go on the end of a water hose.

 

[destiny_56085]

I don't quite believe it, but this was posted on the KNUJ news website last night:

The Hottest Place On Earth
JULY 21 - Minnesota was the hottest place on Earth this past Tuesday.


Excess heat, humidity and ground level moisture combined to create steamy conditions across the state. Weather experts say that a dew point of 88-degrees in the city of Moorhead on Tuesday made it the hottest place in the world at the time.


The heat index reached 130-degrees, rivaling conditions usually found in Saudi Arabia. The measurements are being debated, however, because they were taken in an area with standing water and crops releasing moisture, which would have contributed to the already wet air.


It was still hot across the state, nonetheless, but Minnesota should see some relief from the heat and humidity today (THU).

Yayyy Thunderstorms all day today. Temps are supposed to get back in the low 80's by next week. I've foregone all the bigger waterers with small lip to drink out this week. Everything has those shallow 3 gallon rubbermaid pans I normally use for the ducklings. They seem to keep the water cool longer. I have alot of birds dipping their entire head in and a few sitting in the water. I also found a local turkey barn that closed up and is selling all those huge commercial fans for $50 each.

 

[Gordonhillfarm]

Wow -- I live in maine and it was 81 already at 7am ---- the temps are riseing right now -- I don't have big barns but they are open with a lot of windows . I've had to block the sun from comming in ( I put those windows there so they would always have plenty of sun light ) I cann't imagine haveing a barn any bigger -- my poor little feather friends are really haveing a tough go at it , I feel blessed no one has crossed over . I will say that I have brought birds in the house where it is a little cooler ( not much - but I can keep a closer eye on them ) and given extra electrolites to them . If I could bring them all in I would!!! But it is already busy with a 5 year old running about . Good luck everyone ~~~ sending good thoughts and prayers to all my BYC friends and their flocks ~~~~~ Tammy

 

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

I found this: http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplie...01&langId=-1&division=FarmTek&productId=62973

 

[racuda]

For those with a single smallish coop a window air conditioner is an option for $138. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Keystone-5-000-BTU-Window-Air-Conditioner-with-Remote-Control/16440420

 

[destiny_56085]

This article was just posted...... http://www.wctrib.com/event/article/id/83511

All I can say is youch after reading that....

 

[featherbaby]

Well, I have been on the computer many many hours since I lost my beautiful hen yesterday evening. I have found and ordered three portable swamp coolers and I hope they arrive before I have any more losses. I weighed the time and materials cost to construct three units for my 3 coops and don't believe I could accomplish it soon enough to beat this horrible heat wave before it claims more of my precious babies. Also, I have no confidence it would work after I went to the trouble to make it! HA! And I'd probably get heat stroke out there working on them too.

So, after extensive research I found this little unit called a Ninja Portable Evaporative cooler for $99. It has a 3 speed fan, exterior size is 18 x 11 x 26", 22 pounds on rollers, it covers 150 sq.ft. with air flow of 650 cubic feet per minute (and throws the air flow 33 feet from the unit). You have to put water in it but the reservoir holds over 4 gallons which will not have to be refilled as often as smaller capacity models. Even though I had to get three of them, I still think I am better off buying the compact little unit instead of rigging some goshawful looking thing that would sit outside my coops littering my deck. I may be a redneck, but I don't want my house to shout it to others! HA! I'm in a residential neighborhood and I'm pressing my luck having chickens at all....I can't do anything to get voted off the street.

If you want to consider this option, just follow this link and see what they have that might fit your needs. They have a very large selection and the best prices I found. Be sure to make your purchase on a Friday and get a 7% discount off your total purchase.

http://www.air-conditioner-home.com/symphony-ninja/

They're in California so allow a few days for shipping unless you're closer than I am in Florida. I hope and pray it's the solution. If not, I have 30 days to decide and return them.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Soak a sheet in cool water. Aim a strong fan at it, blowing towards the birds, but through the sheet. Re-wet the sheet as needed.

Years ago I took my step-kids who were here for the summer to a museum specializing in toys and things from many years past. Some of the exhibits related to life in territorial Arizona, and they mentioned sleeping on screened porches, and hanging wet sheets to let the breeze blow through and cool things off. Adding the fans is my modern day rendition. It's also pretty much how an evap cooler works.