Chickens dying in heatwave

[Wagner_Ranch]

Hi! We are in socal and are losing chickens to the heat wave. We have a mister on the turnout, oscillating fan inside, water inside & out & frozen watermelon slices. Desperate to not lose more tomorrow, would love suggestions

 

[Pullet Press]

Hi! We are in socal and are losing chickens to the heat wave. We have a mister on the turnout, oscillating fan inside, water inside & out & frozen watermelon slices. Desperate to not lose more tomorrow, would love suggestions

Oh no! Could you put them in the house, in a spare bathroom, maybe in a dog crate or something. IDK.

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

What your doing is good.
Lots of Shade, You put a shallow pan of water in a shady place they can stand or sit in to help cool down. frozen treats like seedless grapes/watermelon so they get enough fluids. Add a little bit of sugar to the water and it'll encourage them to hydrate more.There are electrolytes for chickens you can add to the water if it's that bad that you've already lost some to heat.

 

[Wagner_Ranch]

Horrible timing to be gone on vacation for the weekend. We lost 2! Not sure my housesitter can round them up.

 

[Pullet Press]

Horrible timing to be gone on vacation for the weekend. We lost 2! Not sure my housesitter can round them up.

Oh, that's so sad!

 

[Wagner_Ranch]

What your doing is good.
Lots of Shade, You put a shallow pan of water in a shady place they can stand or sit in to help cool down. frozen treats like seedless grapes/watermelon so they get enough fluids. Add a little bit of sugar to the water and it'll encourage them to hydrate more.There are electrolytes for chickens you can add to the water if it's that bad that you've already lost some to heat.

Will see if she has access to save a chick electricites but will try the sugar for sure.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I put frozen water bottles in the coop. some people put them in the water dish.

 

[springvalley123]

get a bucket top misting fan and put it on a 5 gallon bucket of cool water. it'll run a few hours. aim it at the roost in the evening. get a spare, longer (2ah or better) spare battery so you can run it several hours. you can connect it to a garden hose so it doesn't run dry.

for daytime, you can also get a shallow tray of water and put clay bricks in it, so the bricks stick up about half way out of the water. the birds will sit or stand on the bricks to keep cool. also, turn the hose on and give them a puddle to stand in. you can also turn on the hose and spray the coop/run as often as possible. I used to aim the hose at the shade cloth for several minutes. you'll cool the air in the run and provide a cool puddle.

also, give them ice cubes or ice blocks in the water. I use half filled small cottage cheese containers that I freeze. the water needs to be cooled or they won't drink it if it's too warm.

you can go to the store and buy them a bag of ice and take it out of its bag and put it in the shade. it'll provide a cool spot for a couple/few hours.

I also fill 2-liter soda bottles half way and lay them down in the freezer. I put them outside in the shade for the birds to stand/sit next to to keep cool

 

[Wagner_Ranch]

get a bucket top misting fan and put it on a 5 gallon bucket of cool water. it'll run a few hours. aim it at the roost in the evening. get a spare, longer (2ah or better) spare battery so you can run it several hours. you can connect it to a garden hose so it doesn't run dry.

View attachment 2322111

for daytime, you can also get a shallow tray of water and put clay bricks in it, so the bricks stick up about half way out of the water. the birds will sit or stand on the bricks to keep cool. also, turn the hose on and give them a puddle to stand in. you can also turn on the hose and spray the coop/run as often as possible. I used to aim the hose at the shade cloth for several minutes. you'll cool the air in the run and provide a cool puddle.

also, give them ice cubes or ice blocks in the water. I use half filled small cottage cheese containers that I freeze. the water needs to be cooled or they won't drink it if it's too warm.

you can go to the store and buy them a bag of ice and take it out of its bag and put it in the shade. it'll provide a cool spot for a couple/few hours.

I also fill 2-liter soda bottles half way and lay them down in the freezer. I put them outside in the shade for the birds to stand/sit next to to keep cool

Thank you!!

 

[Wagner_Ranch]

Feel like they are better when out of the coop & can get under bushes etc. We had another fatal incident after a coyote stroll through a few weeks ago so our poor chickens have been quarantined like the rest of the world. Going to try all this advice and possibly let them out hoping it's too hot for coyotes to be out and about. They are more than just chickens to my kids & it's been so sad losing them.