I am relatively new to chickens here in Tucson and as you know, we're having a very Looooong, dry hot spell right now. I have been fretting (worse than the chickens probably) about the heat. They pant constantly and tend to spend their time in the shade scratching up damp sand to sit around in. I was replacing frozen bottles in their temporary summer straw roost constantly and replacing ice in their drinking water at least three times a day but came up with some other less time consuming alternatives. Here is a list of things I'm doing to try to make it more comfortable for the hens:
1. I now fill water bottles 1/2 the way and freeze 'tilted' then fill the rest of the way with fresh water before 'serving'.
2. Hung a water mister that I bought at an ACE Hardware store for about 7$ (plastic PVC that is intended for small areas and hooks to a hose) upside down from the top of their chain link pen. I leave it on all day and turn off in the evening.
3. I built a stand for a 5 gallon bucket and put chicken water 'nipples' in it. I freeze a 1/2 gallon container of water and add one every morning to keep the water cool. I put it in a corner of the pen where there is little air movement and the chickens tend to congregate under it where cool air settles.
4. I planted some hybrid bermuda type grass in their pen but still have it covered to keep them from destroying it before it's well established. Bermuda and it's hybrids tend to grow and spread rapidly in the summer months. The more you water them the faster they establish and they are virtually indestructable provided that you 'rest' the grass by barracading it for a couple of weeks every time the chickens have picked it clean.
5. I Lightly spray the dirt floor of the pen once a day to help hold down the dust and provide some 'evaporative' cooling.
6. I Put a large shallow dish of water in the shade (I used a 30 gallon trashcan lid). The chickens (esp. the Leghorn Daisy) seem to like to stand in the water once in a while.and peck on stuff floating on the top. I've even seen Daisy taking a short 'bath' in the water--she flings droplets over her back with her head and wings! She will also stand under the mister and groom her feathers while they are getting damp. Unfortunately, she also takes dust baths so she's usually a pale 'tan' instead of white like she should be LOL!
7. I dug the bottom of their temporary coop deeper (about 4" lower than the surrounding pen floor) and still put frozen 1/2-1 gallon containers in the bottom. The cool air settles and I find them, during the hottest part of the day, lounging around in there, comfortable and happy!
Well, That's why my chickens are 'cooler' than any other chickens on the block!
Hope someone can use some of the ideas. Anyone have other ideas. It ain't fun being a chicken in this weather, I'm sure!
Terri in Tucson
1. I now fill water bottles 1/2 the way and freeze 'tilted' then fill the rest of the way with fresh water before 'serving'.
2. Hung a water mister that I bought at an ACE Hardware store for about 7$ (plastic PVC that is intended for small areas and hooks to a hose) upside down from the top of their chain link pen. I leave it on all day and turn off in the evening.
3. I built a stand for a 5 gallon bucket and put chicken water 'nipples' in it. I freeze a 1/2 gallon container of water and add one every morning to keep the water cool. I put it in a corner of the pen where there is little air movement and the chickens tend to congregate under it where cool air settles.
4. I planted some hybrid bermuda type grass in their pen but still have it covered to keep them from destroying it before it's well established. Bermuda and it's hybrids tend to grow and spread rapidly in the summer months. The more you water them the faster they establish and they are virtually indestructable provided that you 'rest' the grass by barracading it for a couple of weeks every time the chickens have picked it clean.
5. I Lightly spray the dirt floor of the pen once a day to help hold down the dust and provide some 'evaporative' cooling.
6. I Put a large shallow dish of water in the shade (I used a 30 gallon trashcan lid). The chickens (esp. the Leghorn Daisy) seem to like to stand in the water once in a while.and peck on stuff floating on the top. I've even seen Daisy taking a short 'bath' in the water--she flings droplets over her back with her head and wings! She will also stand under the mister and groom her feathers while they are getting damp. Unfortunately, she also takes dust baths so she's usually a pale 'tan' instead of white like she should be LOL!
7. I dug the bottom of their temporary coop deeper (about 4" lower than the surrounding pen floor) and still put frozen 1/2-1 gallon containers in the bottom. The cool air settles and I find them, during the hottest part of the day, lounging around in there, comfortable and happy!
Well, That's why my chickens are 'cooler' than any other chickens on the block!
Hope someone can use some of the ideas. Anyone have other ideas. It ain't fun being a chicken in this weather, I'm sure!
Terri in Tucson
