Chicks, Brooder, Coops oh m...

[ten chicks]

Is there information that tells you which feathered friends weather better in different areas or are they all pretty universal? I am on the Henderson site right now and I've bookmarked the feather site for sure.

Try http://www.mypetchicken.com/

On site they have a breed selector tool,which will tell you all about whatever breed you are interested in and if they are a cold hardy breed.

 

[AnnikasMommy]

Try http://www.mypetchicken.com/

On site they have a breed selector tool,which will tell you all about whatever breed you are interested in and if they are a cold hardy breed.

Not worried about cold hearty really I'm thinking more along HOT and Humid hearty. LOL Well unless we have another winter like this they may have to move into the house. LOL

 

[ten chicks]

Heat can be dangerous to all chickens as they do not have sweat gland,so they rely on their respiratory system to cool themselves down,this is why they pant/spread wings,etc. Hard panting and lethargic behavior can indicate heat stroke/stress. Always know and understand the symptoms of heat stroke/stress b/c the heat can and does kill chickens.

 

[foreverlearning]

Not worried about cold hearty really I'm thinking more along HOT and Humid hearty. LOL Well unless we have another winter like this they may have to move into the house. LOL

I live in Louisiana and don't like to have black heavy breeds in the summer. What you call liquid sunshine (raised in FL) is our normal every day summer and it is too hard to keep the black heavy breeds cool. You feel bad for them when they have to walk on their legs in the shade with fans and ice bottles because they are still too hot. Smaller black breeds do good just not the giants or heavy breeds.

 

[foreverlearning]

Heat can be dangerous to all chickens as they do not have sweat gland,so they rely on their respiratory system to cool themselves down,this is why they pant/spread wings,etc. Hard panting and lethargic behavior can indicate heat stroke/stress. Always know and understand the symptoms of heat stroke/stress b/c the heat can and does kill chickens.

X2 and look into a good vitamin and electrolyte supplement to help them get threw the worst days. I use Durvet from TSC.

 

[AnnikasMommy]

Great to know about the heat. We are blessed that after Ivan wiped out a lot of our tress the tress have finally started filling back in so our backyard is very shady and we are close enough to the bay we get a bit of a breeze but we do get up there in the high 90's low 100's with 100% humidity so I want to be super careful. I have been looking at how to make sure your coop is well ventilated. I can totally see my 8 year old. "Mama the featherkids were hot so I took them up to my room."

 

[ten chicks]

Adding to what foreverlearning mentoned,if any birds show signs of heat stroke/stress,immediately submerge them into a pail of COOL(never cold)water up to their necks,doing this will immediately drop body temp and save lives.

I always keep a pail of cool water in my yard during summer(in a safe area so no chickens can get into it and drown) When the temp gets really hot,i bring mine inside where there is A/C,i have a small flock of ten(converted a mudroom into their coop) so i am able to do this(i do have a small A/C unit in coop,but prefer to bring them inside when the weather turns severely hot,just to keep an eye on them as my orpingtons do not do so well in the heat).

Search forum for all the different methods used to keep chickens cool in summer.

 

[AnnikasMommy]

I could totally see the chickens being in the house as my daughter would allow them. I'm trying to figure out if they should be penned or allowed to free roam. I'm thinking penned when I'm not home and at night and when I'm home they can free roam so I can keep them supervised. With chickens do you clip their wings or are they not really fliers?

 

[foreverlearning]

Flying depends on the breed. I free range and have great flyers and do not clip their wings because I see flight as a way to help protect them from predators when I am not home. If you live close to someone else, have a fenced in yard, and little or no predators, or keep them in a protected pen clipping could be a good option. If you free range and have an insane amount of other things looking for dinner I suggest not to clip their wings. Some breeds like silkies can't fly. I keep 2 silkies for their broody trait and have them and one rooster in a protected pen because of their inability to fly. Camper trailers are also a good option if you don't let them in the house. I have one of those FEMA style trailers in the yard and on really bad days or if a hurricane is coming threw I put them in there to stay safe and cool. It is super easy to clean and for some reason they only want to be in either the bathtub or on the top bunk.

 

[ten chicks]

I could totally see the chickens being in the house as my daughter would allow them. I'm trying to figure out if they should be penned or allowed to free roam. I'm thinking penned when I'm not home and at night and when I'm home they can free roam so I can keep them supervised. With chickens do you clip their wings or are they not really fliers?

Yup,i also bring mine in with severe cold winter weather,so basically i have house chickens who are in during the severe heat of summer and the severe cold of winter(with wind chills of -52 C,too cold for my birds). This works for me,never have to worry about frostbite or pecking at each other b/c of being cooped up. I highly recommend chicken diapers,as my daughters usually have some chicken in their room watching movies with them.Lol. In fact one of my roosters loves to sleep on the cat tree outside of one daughters room.

No i never clip wings,they might need to be able to fly from a predator. Yes,when mine are outside,they are penned,i have too many predators and quite frankly do not trust my dog(black lab).

Probably the majority of chickens free range,but for me this is not an option.