Can my chickens stand the heat

[Shadie77]

I don't have chickens yet but I'm planning to get three RIR and one plymouthrock I want to get them as chicks but I don't want them to overheat ( I live in AZ ) so what should I do?

I too am worried about the heat here in central Florida. I saw a video a guy there in AZ posted about how he puts a concrete paver in a big plastic tub, the kind you can get at Lowes, put the paver in it and fill to just the under the top of the paver. Place it in a shady spot and it stays cool and his chickens loved just sitting on a cool, damp paver. He also said don't over fill it as chickens don't like to get wet. I have everything I need, even my 4 Easer egger chicks! : ^ hope this helps.... And works!

 

[Karen Glatz]

My waterer is a 3 gal bucket with 3 chicken nipples on the bottom, hung from the fence. Always clean water.

Also, in the summer it's easy to add a tray or two of ice to the bucket to keep it nice and cool.

In the winter, add a pan of boiling water to clear the ice and give them a warm treat.

Frozen, or even just cold juicy fruit or veg. are very welcome. They eat watermelon right down to the thinnest dark green rind.

 

[Peepsi]

What you should do is get a breed that can tolerate the conditions they will have to survive in, rather than get a breed you like the look of and hope they make it.
There are lots of chicken breeds in the world, not just the favored half a dozen dual purpose fowl most commonly mentioned on BYC.

That might be true for an Arizona climate, but what about those of us who live in a place that gets to be almost 100 during the day for most of the summer, and is then freezing cold for months in the winter? I had the hardest time trying to figure out which chickens can stand windy, freezing, blizzard conditions AND sweltering hot summers that sometimes venture in the triple digits. (Ended getting Buff Orpington, Australorp, Wynadotte, EE, and Marans....arriving this July!)

 

[IamRainey]

That might be true for an Arizona climate, but what about those of us who live in a place that gets to be almost 100 during the day for most of the summer, and is then freezing cold for months in the winter? I had the hardest time trying to figure out which chickens can stand windy, freezing, blizzard conditions AND sweltering hot summers that sometimes venture in the triple digits. (Ended getting Buff Orpington, Australorp, Wynadotte, EE, and Marans....arriving this July!)

A really important point!!!

 

[ChloBug]

I just got chicks and I live in a very hot area as well, so I am thankful for this thread (110 degree weather all summer! So fun!). I've read about freezing fruits for them and wading pools and such, but I also read about making a "cool room" for them. Basically, you get a large metal trash can and lay it on it's side, then put some frozen water bottles (I'd use water filled milk jugs or large orange juice bottles) inside the can. It makes a little air conditioned area for them to hang out in. I've also heard of people using those little misters that kids run around in next to their run. Hope this helps

 

[Kabootar]

Haha kind a funny, its 34℃ and its 9 pm. During this time of the year temperature can rise north of 40℃ in the day time. My chickens don't mind the intense heat because they were domesticated here and we still have red jungle fowl and grey jungle fowl.

 

[Kabootar]

[QUOTE=" (110 degree weather all summer! So fun!).
I never understood this Fahrenheit stuff.

 

[Kabootar]

That might be true for an Arizona climate, but what about those of us who live in a place that gets to be almost 100 during the day for most of the summer, and is then freezing cold for months in the winter? I had the hardest time trying to figure out which chickens can stand windy, freezing, blizzard conditions AND sweltering hot summers that sometimes venture in the triple digits. (Ended getting Buff Orpington, Australorp, Wynadotte, EE, and Marans....arriving this July!)

It generally get's 40-45°C in North India during aprAp to mid June, we just make sure to provide our chickens an ample supply of fresh water and shade. Chickens are native to my country, so heat is generally not a big issue. The only problem that we face is that egg production really goes down during these two and a half months, it spikes again with the arrival of monsoon.

 

[Curious new chickey momma]

I was just reading this about the corn. We give our hens scratch, whichbis slot of corn. Is that not good to give them in the summer?

Get those small watermelons or grown them, put them in the freezer. When it's hot take one and crack it open and the chickens will love it! It works with most water veggies or fruits, like cucumber, watermelon, cantaloupe, ect... You can freeze chunks of fruit or cucumbers and put them in their water, they'll peck the frozen chunks plus get nice cool water. Make sure to place water in a shaded area and fill a couple times a day with fresh water. Sometimes I run my water from the hose to make a puddle and they run/splash in it.

In my area it's hot and very humid during the summer, but my chickens don't mind as long as I give them frozen fruits/veggies, fresh water, shade, and fresh cool water puddles.

Do not feed them corn, it's known to cause heat within their bodies as the digest it. That's one thing I learned years ago from a friend who's had chickens for 10+ years, that bit of info has always stick with me.

 

[chkva]

I was just reading this about the corn. We give our hens scratch, whichbis slot of corn. Is that not good to give them in the summer?

I wouldn't give too much of it, but I think it wouldn't be as bad as straight up corn. Mine still get scratch that has minimal corn in it, but I try to minimize giving it and use waterbased fruits/veggies as a replacement in the hotter months.