Can my chickens stand the heat

[chickengr]

Hi - I am in the Phoenix, AZ area.
Have had chickens for more than 10 years. Mine are loose in the back yard so they can pick where they can get. I find them under bushes a lot. I will flood a depression in the shade so that they can stand in mud. My chickens seem to prefer this over a mister, which they avoided.
I currently have just one Easter egger, and a sex-linked, both hens. We had an accident some months ago and I lost all but my remaining Easter egger. The sex-linked was a cull from a commercial situation; I got her so the Easter egger wouldn't be alone. I am hoping that the Easter egger will go broody as she has for the past few years and I can get her a couple of chicks to raise. She has raised 2 batches of chicks for me and is an excellent mother.
I used to worry a lot about the heat but with shade, water, and mud to stand in, they do well.

my chickens prefer mud too. especially silkies.

 

[aart]

and cracked corn. The corn really helps them in cooler

Never heard that one before!

 

[chickengr]

Never heard that one before!

I give my chickens whole corn in winter before they go to sleep. it helps them stay warm. I learned it here from more experienced members and it does work.

 

[aart]

I give my chickens whole corn in winter before they go to sleep. it helps them stay warm.

Corn heating or cooling birds is mostly fallacy.
Any digestion generates heat and will help keep birds warmer...
..and most chicken feed is mostly corn anyway.

 

[chickengr]

Corn heating or cooling birds is mostly fallacy.
Any digestion generates heat and will help keep birds warmer...
..and most chicken feed is mostly corn anyway.

it takes more time to digest whole corn. that's why I don't give whole corn in summer.