Chickens in Hot Weather?

[disrhythmic]

Hi. I live in the desert and it can get up to the high 90s with (unfairly) high humidity. It's not that bad yet, but my chickens are already panting through the afternoon. They have plenty of shade and two full waterers, but I can't help but feel a little bad for them out there in the heat. :/

I gave them a little improvised birdbath from a big, shallow plastic box lid and they seemed content enough to walk around in it. Do chickens do the whole splashing around thing if they get the chance, or do they only dustbathe? How do you keep your chickens comfortable through the summer?

 

[BigMikeK89]

Just me maybe but I use sand in the coop. It cools off very well, at night easy to clean, and if shaded stays rather cool. I am sure you can find an artical or two about it on here.

 

[Spikes Chooks]

I'm the first to admit that I pamper my chickens so here's my list of heat-beating tricks. We regularly get to and above 90F and had a few days of 44C (110F) last summer, so I got plenty of practice. I belong to an Aussie forum as well, and plenty did lose chickens to heat stress, so I'll do it all over again next summer.

Freeze large containers like big drink bottles and put the whole thing in the water - it doesn't melt as fast as icecubes.

Put some of these in a shady spot, they sometimes sit down right next to them.

Freeze grated fruit and veg like zucchinis, cucmber, tomatoes, watermelon, apple sauce for a cooling treat.

Water mister - I put this up along the centre of their run and they soon got used to the noise of the fine mist. It lowered temperatures easily by 5C. I would run it all day until temperature dropped a little.

On the hottest days I didn't let them out to free range in the afternoon, as I normally would. Silly things would run around in the sun and it's 110F!!!

I also hosed down their coop (outside only) and run, which has a sand floor. So it drains well but stays damp and cool.

You already have shade and more than one water area - so good luck! A little more work than usual and you can keep them from harm
ATB

 

[disrhythmic]

I'm the first to admit that I pamper my chickens so here's my list of heat-beating tricks. We regularly get to and above 90F and had a few days of 44C (110F) last summer, so I got plenty of practice. I belong to an Aussie forum as well, and plenty did lose chickens to heat stress, so I'll do it all over again next summer.

Freeze large containers like big drink bottles and put the whole thing in the water - it doesn't melt as fast as icecubes.

Put some of these in a shady spot, they sometimes sit down right next to them.

Freeze grated fruit and veg like zucchinis, cucmber, tomatoes, watermelon, apple sauce for a cooling treat.

Water mister - I put this up along the centre of their run and they soon got used to the noise of the fine mist. It lowered temperatures easily by 5C. I would run it all day until temperature dropped a little.

On the hottest days I didn't let them out to free range in the afternoon, as I normally would. Silly things would run around in the sun and it's 110F!!!

I also hosed down their coop (outside only) and run, which has a sand floor. So it drains well but stays damp and cool.

You already have shade and more than one water area - so good luck! A little more work than usual and you can keep them from harm
ATB

Thanks for the tips! I'm actually doing/planning to do a lot of that with my rabbits--didn't occur to me that it would work for chickens too.