Can Orpingtons Take The Heat?

[CindyJeann]

Has anyone raised Orpingtons in the south? How do they handle the heat during summer?

 

[speckledhen]

Mine did better than my Delawares this past unusually-hot-for-here summer. We were in the mid 90's with 80-100% humidity for long stretches.

 

[ladyride]

Mine hit the trees nestled down in the undergrowth . I did end up putting a waterer out there for them besides the one in the run.

 

[maclady]

I have 4 Buff Orpingtons and they did well with the heat as long as I took precautions. I live in Southeastern, NC and summers are Hot & Humid here. I made sure there was as much shade available as possible, lots of water to include low pans of ice water for them to wade in. I also froze plastic bottles to help them deal and had a mister I could run for them but they thought that acid was coming out of it instead of water. Their favorite cool down was the pans of ice water they could wade in and then dust bathing in wet cool sand. I am not sure what the weather for summer is where you are in Arkansas but maybe someone from that area will be able to give you some local info.

 

[CindyJeann]

We had a super hot year this past summer with highs around 111. My Barred Rocks and Easter Eggers didn't exactly enjoy it but they made it through. I hung a water hose from thier favorite tree to scratch under and had it set to mist. Also I keep tubs with a water hose dripping fresh cool water into them all day long. While we doesn't usually get so hot as it did this past summer, I was wondering if Orpingtons or Brahmas would have handled it as well.

 

[TigerLilly]

I'm in Florida & have had no problems with my little flock of 6. Their coop is in the shadiest part of the yard & they have plenty of cool dirt to dust bathe in. Just make sure they ALWAYS have plenty of water!

 

[speckledhen]

I have two older Brahma hens, Buff Orpingtons, BBS Orpingtons and they all did well in the extreme heat. We are at 2000 ft elevation in the mtns and long stretches of heat with high humidity are not the norm for my flocks but they handled it better than the white Delawares. For some reason, the Dels are not as heat tolerant as you might think. Of course, the bantams did great as did the Barred Rocks, Ameraucanas and Easter Eggers.

 

[Tikkijane]

Ours did fine, and we were 100+ for an excess of 3 months. They did have plenty of shade, water, and anything near mid 90s got the frozen milk jugs- we also gave a pan of water for them to walk in, which they loved. Not that any of them were loving the high heat, but nobody died. We also gave frozen treats, like frozen watermelon rinds, during the peak heat during the day. Fwiw.

 

[Eatin'Dirt]

I have 2 & live in Las Vegas. I put out little pools for mine when really hot. Mine to fine.

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

We moved from Calif to Texas in March, got chicks mid May, 6 were Buff Orpingtons. This summer we had 70 days straight of over 100 deg temp, some days were 110. Their run is under a huge oak tree, I froze gallon water bottle, 4 - 5 a day for them to use.
I had two containers of water, both were oil drain pans, big enough to hold a gallon bottle of water, and enough room for them to drink from the sides. I also kept a water in their coop, with a frozen bottle in that also.
3 - 4 times a day I went out and misted them with the water hose, we were on water restriction, so I was not able to hook up a misting system for them. I also put a fan in their coop that ran all summer, with no excess cost to our electric bill. Hubby had our house at a cool 70 degrees, and our monthly bill was $250. Which according to our local electric company was good, said we must have good insulation.

There were a few days my girls were panting, but then so was I.

I also have 3 BR, 3 EE & 2 Light Brahma's & on GLW roo. They all made it through their first Texas Summer just fine. Am waiting to see what they think of snow when we get it. Rain don't bother them any more, they walk around like it was not even raining.