Chickens hating the heat

[kentonchickens]

Hey is it ok to hose down your coop roof and mist your chickens with the hose?

 

[smokeykk]

why wouldn't it be??

The only thing is will your chickens like it??

 

[Kudzu]

We put the sprinkler on our run every eveing. The water seeps thru the shade cloth and they love it.

 

[greenSearcher]

They often like a fine mist or drizzle. Only my NN rooster actually likes the hose sprayed gently on him. In the heat we are having by mid day I make sure their "wading pool" has fresh cool water, I put ice in the drinking water, I wet down the sand in their run, all shady area and I soak the shade cloth and put 2 jugs of ice in the shaded run. Takes about an hour and I am cooked when I get in.
It is going to be a long hot summer, now only if we would get some rain in TX.

 

[azmotogirl]

I use a "personal" sized mister in one end of our run to keep an area cool if they was to get under it. Here in Arizona our chickens need all the help they can get to stay cool in the 100+ temps. Here is a picture of what we use.....

 

[Life is Good!]

Yep, but don't be surprised if they're scared of it at first, and second, and twenty-something exposure to this 'new' thing....

Reached 100.4 today in Chicagoland 'burbs with 50% humidity....all our 12wk old chicks were panting. I was watering the garden and saw their discomfort - and sprayed 'em! It was almost as good as spritzing the kids! The surprised "sqwauks" and frantic flapping - wow! They were NOT impressed! I wet down their shade cloth (a tarp) and all the grass in the run (it's a portable tractor) and even managed to get 'em a time or two. They were NOT happy....but when the 'nasty snake' left - they immediately started eating EVERYTHING. I guess wet grass tastes better?

Tomorrow is supposed to be hotter - so I'm setting up the kid's old Mr. Potato Head sprinkler in the portable tractor. I'll let it sit for a while just in there - then slowly start to turn it on. That'll be some fun! I hope they enjoy it!

 

[SFlChicks]

I'm in south Florida so heat is a constant issue. I found that if I hose down the entire floor of the coop (dirt and straw flooring) it makes for happy girls.

That being said, we are 22+ inches short for rainfall. I bathed them in a plastic tub about 2 weeks ago. My welsummer and Dominique were not impressed. My fluffy buff orpington seemed to appreciate the cool down. They all hate the hose, no matter the spray setting.

They seemingly appreciate cold watermelon and I'm making a point to keep their food and water in the shade. I put a plastic container under the drip spout of the A/C drain so they also have a supply of really cold water when they want it. I read that you need to make sure they don't get dehydrated, so they also get vitamin water (similar to gatorade) in a separate dish.

A lot of people ask if we are going to eat our chickens. I always tell folks our girls wouldn't taste good... they're spoiled!

 

[kentonchickens]

Thank you all for your input. Kentonchickens