Can my chickens stand the heat

[aart]

Deep all day shade.
In your climate (dry) a misting system can help.

Make sure water is always available and cool but not icy.
Frozen foods/treats are more for keepers than chickens, IMO.

I give a dose of Sav-a-Chick electrolytes/vitamins about once a week during heat waves.
it really seems to help....started this after they saved a heat stroked hen once.
BIG(9x14x2") chunks of ice last all day for wading, sitting, and sipping.

Make room in your freezer!

 

[henless]

We get over 100* for days on end here in East Texas, plus it's very humid.

Deep shade
Plenty of water
Lots of air flow
Fan if you have electricity
Frozen treats/Ice

Make sure your coop/run is located in a shady area, or at least afternoon shade. Large open air coops or large windows to allow air flow also helps. Covered run will help also.

I don't use misters. My chickens have never liked them.

 

[Blingchix6]

I bought a MistyMate misting system for the hottest days. I also use 2 high powered fans to move air around in the run. The top of the run has shadecloth in the spring, then the clematis vines take over the roof in the summer, keeping it shady and cooling things off. Put blocks of ice in their water(freeze some green peas in those ice blocks..they LOVE it!!)

 

[sumi]

I lived in South Africa in a region where our summer temperatures ranged between 90F lows and up to 130F highs. Thankfully I had a hardy flock of mostly mixed breed chickens and didn't lose any of them. I ran the hose in their run after finding them piling in the water bowl to cool their feet down. They loved scratching around in the mud and lying down in it. Make sure if you do this, to do it in a shady area. Shade and lots of it can be a life saver in hot climates. Cool, fresh water too. Make sure their water bowls are in the shade always and even then, check the temperature of their water a few times a day, if possible. I once found mine's water, despite sitting in good shade all day long, to be quite warm. Ice is great for helping keep their drinking water cool, especially on days you can't check on them. Put a chunk of ice in there in the morning and they should be fine for the day.

 

[IamRainey]

We get over 100* for days on end here in East Texas, plus it's very humid.

Deep shade
Plenty of water
Lots of air flow
Fan if you have electricity
Frozen treats/Ice

Make sure your coop/run is located in a shady area, or at least afternoon shade. Large open air coops or large windows to allow air flow also helps. Covered run will help also.

I don't use misters. My chickens have never liked them.

I'm in SoCal where triple-digits for a week at a time have turned into a month at a time. I thoroughly endorse the above list.

If your coop and run aren't built yet, deep, deep overhangs will provide the shade they need. Mine was already built so I added doubled shade cloth to enhance the overhang on the 2 sides where the sun was hottest during the day.

I also ran box fans and, on the worst days, I put blocks of ice in front of them. I still lost a lovely Barnvelder last year.

There are also breeds who are more heat resistent. Go to any hatchery's site and find a filter that will identify your best choices. You'll spend the Summer less anxious and doing fewer runs for block ice and end the Summers with your flock intact.

 

[MinniesMomma]

Last summer I bought these 97 cent dish tubs from Walmart and put them on the ground with a brick in them. I would put water in them to just barely cover, and the chickens loved standing in those. I would find them lined up waiting for their turn!

 

[Aunt Angus]

I live in the Sacramento Valley, and it is consistently in the 100s during summer (3 - 4 months straight, usually). I have big, fluffy breeds that do fine: buff orps, buff brahma, cochin, barred rock, and now a little welsummer. The cochin has the hardest time, but I put out pans of water with ice in it. They love chasing the ice! I also put up a box fan last year with 2 liters of frozen water in front of them. That helped. Frozen treats are good: watermelon, peas in particular. I also put a huge shade cloth over the entire coop. My run is already covered.

This year, I will likely put a portable air conditioner in the coop, just to see how that works. I do worry about my setters.

Just be smart about it, and they'll be fine. You might also check out if there is any forum for Arizona and see what is posted there.

 

[Saaniya]

Heat is a issue I never notice my rooster to poop seeds and grain but in this 38C heat I see this often

 

[moniquem]

I offer frozen ice blocks in a big tub, make sure they have plenty of shady spots and I also watered the grass in the afternoon at the hottest time of day. I've only had chickens since last spring and I found they panted more at night in the coop so I set up a window fan. I have an EE, SS and BA they did pretty well.

 

[MaryJanet]

I live in South Australia and the temperature reached 46.6C (115F) last Summer. I added a misting system to the coop and found the chickens (Barnevelder and Australorp) were very comfortable, not even panting. It has high pressure sprayers that use very little water, about a litre an hour.