California - Northern

[KernH]

Next week is going to be terrible for our feathered friends. Do what ever you can to keep your birds a little cooler. I have fairly large fans and misters. My back yard also has many trees for shade. My chickens will have the fans and misters but also be able to free range under my fruit trees. It will be miserable for our birds. Predictions are for up to 111.

 

[chefvayda]

It's connected so they don't run wild. Already ate one of my tomatoes plants in the garden. So now they stay in this. We bought the extra wire aft home depot. 4 feet high. 50 feet long. It's working so far.

 

[Stephine]

It's too hot!!! I have a mister, shade cloth, keep the cool water and watermelon coming and they are still panting like crazy.... I am so over this heat! Five more days!?!

 

[chefvayda]

I have a Fan going.. ice bottles... frozen fruit... And ice in their water. There's no wind here today in Manteca. I keep watering the grass around them also.

 

[caychris]

Lost 2 young ones (5-6.5 weeks old) today and I think the one pita egg hatching under my broody del died from the heat and didnt fully hatch. Not eating hardly anything today but am giving them all the cool water I can. Ice bottles cool foot bath water Lots of shade. I just think the 1 brooder was in a bad spot. I'll be moving it tonight

 

[Stephine]

Lost 2 young ones (5-6.5 weeks old) today and I think the one pita egg hatching under my broody del died from the heat and didnt fully hatch. Not eating hardly anything today but am giving them all the cool water I can. Ice bottles cool foot bath water Lots of shade. I just think the 1 brooder was in a bad spot. I'll be moving it tonight

Oh, I am so sorry! It's particularly tough on the little ones...
I have two 10 week old SFHs, a pullet and a cockerel, and I had to dunk the little guy in a cool water bucket mid afternoon - he was becoming worn out. Little pullet discovered standing on a paver in a tub with water to cool off, but he didn't - plus I am working on integrating and he has started to have little posturing matches at the fence with the adult hens when they come by, so he got worked up a few times on top of everything else.
For some reason my misters didn't really get the temp down much - I can't figure out why....

 

[chefvayda]

Getting misters tomorrow. I might be joining them under it. My pullets will be 12 weeks Tuesday. I just feel so sorry for them with this heat.

 

[Magnolia7330]

Luckily, I'm off for the summer. I'm a teacher. So, I am home much more than normal. I have been going out several times a day and spraying down half the run (it's completely shaded), giving ice water mixed with electrolytes, mash with extra water, and giving frozen carrot juice. It seems to be helping a little with the heat. I also have been leaving the coop door open at night (the opening is only open to the enclosed run). So far my chickens are doing okay, but they must be miserable.

 

[ronott1]

It is going to be a long hot spell so diligence it important. The worst day is Thursday and then it is supposed to cool down to below 100 by Sunday.

Make sure to give them some electrolytes early next week.

 

[orrpeople]

You guys are not kidding about our ugly weather. We are looking at 113 today...ugh. We installed a swamp cooler in the barn and misters for the non-free-ranging grow outs. The rest of the group spends the entire time under our back deck which also has misters tacked to its underside. I think, if we had more than a week to acclimate it wouldn't be as terrible (although I don't think anyone loves the extreme heat), but it seems we went from 75 degree highs to 110 in just a week's time.
My youngest outside flock (3-1/2 week olds) have an upside down Rubbermaid lid that I fill with water - then they fill with dirt - then I fill with water - then they... you see a pattern. I have never had a group of chicks love mud this much!