Chickens and extreme heat

[Trux]

I no longer put water in with the ice after watching a bird guzzle down a bunch of ice water then turn her head sideways and stagger off....'ice cream headache'.

For some reason the picture this put in my head made me laugh hysterically

 

[Carolrich]

This is a great thread! I have learned lots of new things! We are fortunate to have our coop, run and yard under the trees. The trees are a combo of deciduous and evergreen. In the summer it is shady and in the winter, the sun gets in. In our area of Kentucky it is hot and humid. Since I am retired, I can run out and change the water once or twice a day and on super hot days, i put ice blocks (made from filling up used milk cartons and freezing them) into the water pans. We are fortunate to have no water shortage so I can spray down the top of the coop. I really like @aart 'S sled idea.

 

[Trux]

My coop and run are under two big shade trees in the back yard, and misters around the perimeter f the run. When I let them out on a hot day they all head to the orange trees which have a well burm built around them and they dig in t the point I have to rebuild the burm at times.

 

[aart]

For some reason the picture this put in my head made me laugh hysterically

It was pretty funny, once i realized she wasn't going to keel over dead.
Took her about 20 minutes to get moving normally again.
I immediately dumped the water and just left the cubes, melt water enough to sip but not enough to gorge on.

 

[kwhites634]

I have used those before, now I use them for emergency shading like they are disposable. The Texas sun eats tarps each season.

I'm reasonably sure the MD sun would've taken mine out, as well, were it not for the huge overhead Silver Maple. As it it, that one has lasted a few years on the run, plus however long the portable garage it was originally on lasted, with several years in-between stored in the barn, I think). I tried to use another tarp from the same garage last week, but the UV had taken a major toll on it; been folded and out in the sun all these 20 or so years.

 

[Nksg75]

When I lived in South Africa our daytime summer temperatures averaged 110- 120F and on a really bad day, went up to 130F. A farmer I knew down there told me he painted his barn's roof white and it really helped reduce the temperature in there, dropping it by several degrees actually. The white didn't absorb and hold the heat as much as the naked roofing sheets did. That may be a simpler and cheaper way for you to cool down the hen house, depending on the roofing materials you have in place at the moment.

Wow, that is hot!! I shouldn't complain about Texas heat compared to that!
I do have a metal roof, so painting it white is a option. Thank you.
I have been able to reduce the temp in the coop to 96-97 with the fans alone.
It's pretty much a open air coop.

 

[True Patriot]

When I lived in South Africa our daytime summer temperatures averaged 110- 120F and on a really bad day, went up to 130F. A farmer I knew down there told me he painted his barn's roof white and it really helped reduce the temperature in there, dropping it by several degrees actually. The white didn't absorb and hold the heat as much as the naked roofing sheets did. That may be a simpler and cheaper way for you to cool down the hen house, depending on the roofing materials you have in place at the moment.

I just painted my coop roof with the white coating. Before coating the temp inside was average 10°f higher than outside. After I'm getting 2°f higher. It's dropped the temp about 8°. I also have plans to install insulation board under the roof. Should help with radiant heat.

 

[Nksg75]

I just painted my coop roof with the white coating. Before coating the temp inside was average 10°f higher than outside. After I'm getting 2°f higher. It's dropped the temp about 8°. I also have plans to install insulation board under the roof. Should help with radiant heat.

Yes, i as debating the insulation boards. They are pretty expensive, so I thought about just putting mdf boards up.
Now I think I may paint the roof first, then see what the temp is inside

 

[sumi]

Wow, that is hot!! I shouldn't complain about Texas heat compared to that!
I do have a metal roof, so painting it white is a option. Thank you.
I have been able to reduce the temp in the coop to 96-97 with the fans alone.
It's pretty much a open air coop.

We used to joke and say it's because we live next door to hell (there is actually a valley near my old hometown known locally as "Hell") lol Needless to say I am loving Ireland's mild climate now! Rain and all

 

[sumi]

Yes, i as debating the insulation boards. They are pretty expensive, so I thought about just putting mdf boards up.
Now I think I may paint the roof first, then see what the temp is inside

If you do, please let us know if/how it worked for you?