Chickens panting outside

[Ccort]

I'd have had them off heat and in the coop a couple weeks ago.

Maybe you can put them out once it cools down this evening? Then they can acclimate on a cooler day?

I had them out this morning until they started panting. Its storming now and windy as all get out so cant tonight. Tomorrow, hopefully, they'll be out a lot. They're off heat but haven't moved them out yet.

 

[3KillerBs]

I had them out this morning until they started panting. Its storming now and windy as all get out so cant tonight. Tomorrow, hopefully, they'll be out a lot. They're off heat but haven't moved them out yet.

If they've got shelter in their coop neither the rain nor the wind would be a problem for them.

 

[Brooks_]

I'm not experienced enough to make strong comments on this. I'll say that I expect panting most of the year. I will see some outstretched wings. Rooster flapping wings in front of me is seen more of Dayum, it's hot than aggression. I've not witnessed lethargy. I fully agree with acclimating chickens to the ambient temp. One thing that has worked well for me is brooding in the summer--outside in the shed. When they come off heat, they're already acclimated.

 

[Tremogg]

I have had my chicks out for about 4 weeks now and they are 10 weeks old (rooster is 8 weeks old) They have been doing great until this week when they (not all) have started panting. We have several waterer's out for them, also one waterer out with electrolytes, a pool with water, shade cloth many layers over the coop and run for shade is there anything else I should do?

 

[kcult]

How does one acclimate to heat? I mean, if it's hot, it's hot, right?

I have chickens and quail in a single, but divided, 10x16 enclosure. It has a metal roof on it, but all four walls are nothing but corner studs, wrapped in bitty wire.

I've seen the six week old quail panting (but they try extra hard to get away from me), but the 11wk old chickens seem fine.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have had my chicks out for about 4 weeks now and they are 10 weeks old (rooster is 8 weeks old) They have been doing great until this week when they (not all) have started panting. We have several waterer's out for them, also one waterer out with electrolytes, a pool with water, shade cloth many layers over the coop and run for shade is there anything else I should do?

Do they have the ability to dig into the bedding or the ground to access cooler layers underneath? Mine do that all the time.

At some point they just have to acclimate to the climate.

One thing I do is to make sure to not disturb them and get them excited in the hottest part of the day. I let them rest in the shade without me going out to toss treats, collect eggs, etc.

 

[Tremogg]

Do they have the ability to dig into the bedding or the ground to access cooler layers underneath? Mine do that all the time.

At some point they just have to acclimate to the climate.

One thing I do is to make sure to not disturb them and get them excited in the hottest part of the day. I let them rest in the shade without me going out to toss treats, collect eggs, etc.

They can not get into the bedding but they can get down in the dirt. We are going to be putting sand down this weekend so hopefully they will be able to stay cool with that and we can wet it down and I hear that will help.

 

[springvalley123]

I have had my chicks out for about 4 weeks now and they are 10 weeks old (rooster is 8 weeks old) They have been doing great until this week when they (not all) have started panting. We have several waterer's out for them, also one waterer out with electrolytes, a pool with water, shade cloth many layers over the coop and run for shade is there anything else I should do?

Most of us in AZ use blocks of ice in shallow pans--the birds stand in the melted ice and drink it. Several of us use the blue bunny ice cream containers to freeze the ice, they're a nice size. I put it in a shallow plastic pan and also in a cat litter pan, just something they can drink out of and wade in. Also, wetting an area under a tree or in the shade helps a lot. I go out and turn on the hose every hour or so and they go from panting, even having their wings out, to being just fine.

 

[Tremogg]

Most of us in AZ use blocks of ice in shallow pans--the birds stand in the melted ice and drink it. Several of us use the blue bunny ice cream containers to freeze the ice, they're a nice size. I put it in a shallow plastic pan and also in a cat litter pan, just something they can drink out of and wade in. Also, wetting an area under a tree or in the shade helps a lot. I go out and turn on the hose every hour or so and they go from panting, even having their wings out, to being just fine.

Thank you I just started some containers in the freezer for Ice and one of them is an old gallon ice cream container I am also using some smaller container to put in the water containers. I have 4 small ones in the run (one has electrolytes in it) and a big one that holds 5 gallons of water in the yard in the shade and a small kiddie pool under a tree that they can wade in/ We also triple layered the shade cloth over the run so it is mostly shaded. My husband has also been wetting down the yard and garden beds and they have been loving it but still panting.