Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[perchie.girl]

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First where are you located? Was this an extreme case of unusually hot weather for you? Solutions may vary depending the answers to these questions. For me dealing with 105 degrees for a few weeks out of the summer is the norm. But I live in a dry climate. Shade ventilation and possibly misting system. I have in the past put in concrete stepping stones and kept them damp for a cool surface. None of this will work if you are in a high humidity location.
During the hottest part of the day some of my friends have put in frozen watermelon as a treat.

There are others here that live in hotter places than me... hopefully they will chime in.

OH and WELCOME

 

[Gypsi]

I had 70 days over 100 this year. I do have one good sized shade tree - did not put a fan under it. I think what helped my hens the most was not cooping them at night. I practice secure run, open coop. Food and nest boxes are in there. There is a perch. My barred rock and one of the reds have used it this winter, finally. But I have a 4 tier perch in the shade of a tin roof, sheltered from west wind, but wide open - just wire (tough 2x4 and chickenwire and screening) all around it, so they got to cool off at night. I did lose one barred rock when it hit about 105 around 2 pm a month in, it got to 108 that day, but I think she died right after leaving the run when I turned them loose to forage and dust bath, under the big tree which I had watered. She was the only casualty. I try not to leave them in my run during the heat of the day, the dogs don't mind going into the a/c then, so the hens get the yard.

I HOPE to build a new coop / run in the shade of my giant elm on the lot this spring, since bees can't live in the shade. That will be much easier to keep cool, and if I take a trip, I can let a neighbor have access there without giving them my house key. So eggs can be collected.

Now, when I have the money, I can actually have a PLAN before I start the Coop. But I think I am staying to secure run, open coop. In the heat, I think that is the best.

Gypsi

 

[RWD57]

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clutch_(eggs)
I've read it other places also, it's the nature of the bird (some breeds more than others), would'nt be many chickens if they went broody for one egg.

I just read that wiki page, it does not say what you said it says.

It's true for all birds in general, i guess wiki assumes you know the rest. When you breed birds for appearance and certain traits etc. you lose some things broodiness being one of them (which is great for the hatcherys). A number of things can trigger broodiness, light, fertility, feed, season, breed etc. but i won't go on this isnt poultry 101

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

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velma - I have 6 Buffs, they were about 8 weeks old when the Texas 110 heat hit this summer. I bought a plastic oil changing pan at a auto supply store, and set a frozen gallon water bottle in it twice a day. At Walmart they have this green oil changing pan, it has a handle & spout (here is the picture of it.) I filled it half way up with water & the hens would take turns soaking their feet in it.

I also went out 4 times a day, during the peak heat, and misted them with the water hose. My EE loved it, the other ran from it the first month. But then I guess the light dawned on them, and they enjoyed the wet feathers & ground. We were on water restriction during the summer, so I could not set up a full time mister.

 

[Gypsi]

Ya know, I never SAW them in my dog's wading pool, but it was under the shade tree they all ran to. Just a little kiddy wading pool, betcha they were chicken-dipping in it. And I kept the ground under that tree wet, I don't have many trees.

 

[Lorimary]

I did the heat lamps, thermometers, the whole thing with my new chicks two years ago. They were in a little hen house outside. I'm about ready to add some more chicks this Spring (in southern CA) so give me a good idea of what I DO need as minimum requirements? I had 14 chicks to start and they all grew up. I had one (Smashy) that got underneath a waterer and stayed there for an entire day. That's how I ended up at BYC, asking what to do. We gave her CPR and she survived. Did lose 6 this year because neighbor put out rat poison, (after putting up an owl house!!) and of course chickens love to catch 'slow' rats. Since we're not being PC here, I'd like to make some brownies for that neighbor with a little somethin somethin xtra. Any help appreciated.

Fred's Hens :

OK..... I just dip my toe in the water.... and see how this goes.

Brood chicks out in the garage, in a shed, or in the barn, or least in your mud room or back porch for goodness sakes. Chicks do not have to be brooded indoors, giving everyone cast iron lungs, sinus allergies and rooms that must look like someone shook out a flour sack. The entire brooder does not need to be 95F. Stop putting so much sugary crap in the water and cooking chicks in little suffocating plastic totes where the temps are 95-100 degrees and 99% of the posts of "Oh No!! My chick has poop butt, what should I do?" would go away.


Now, Bee, if I've already been too plain spoken, I'll bow out. No problem.​

 

[Lorimary]

As far as feeders are concerned, I had to find one that did not allow rats to get in. I finally found one that has served me well for 2 years now. A little pricey, but it's sturdy and should last at least 20 years. It is activated by the hens stepping on a step, and closes when they move away. It comes with a pin that initially keeps it open part way, as they learn to use it. It took my hens about 4 days to figure it out. Here is a link: http://www.grandpasfeeders.com/component/content/article/30
I have had my girls for going on 3 years now, but raised chickens years ago too.

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[ChickenCanoe]

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The best I can offer is building the coops under trees or at least shaded in the afternoon and build them up on stilts so there's room to hang out underneath. All the birds spend most of their time under the coops on the hottest days. That's really the coolest place I have.

I haven't done it but on the hottest nights I think it would help to hang frozen milk jugs at various places along the roosts so they can snuggle next to the ice at night.

Heat stress is a cumulative effect so if they can get good respite at night I believe it would help.

ETA
I forgot to mention, they love a foot bath when they're hot. I put a rubber hog feeder filled with cool water in each pen - they take turns standing in it.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I have a buff orpington that will go broody whether there are eggs or not. The last time there wasn't an egg in the coop and I guess she thought someone might volunteer some if she sat there long enough.

Even production breeds can go broody. My last broody was a black leghorn. She was a good mom.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

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what does that mean?