Cooling off the Chickens?

[OreoH]

Hi everyone! I have six pullets who have moved to their coop a few days ago. The temperatures are really getting high and I'm a little out of ideas. They are panting, and laying down a lot. I have a frozen banana I will feed when it thaws out, frozen water bottles, a tiny wading pool, extra shade, and ice cubes in their water. I'm a little worried because they are peeping a lot. They are still eating their feed, which I am probably going to freeze. Are there any other ideas? Also, has anyone tried putting a bowl of ice cubes for them? Would it cool down the air around them?

 

[CluckerFamily]

Are they confined to the coop? Do they have access to the run or free-range?

 

[OreoH]

Are they confined to the coop? Do they have access to the run or free-range?

They have access to the run.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Shade would help if the run has a roof or under a tree.
Fresh water 3-4 times a day on those hot days will help.
Some chickens make a hole in the ground from dust bathing and they will just lay in the cool ground.
I always have a watermelon in the fridge if there are hot days coming and put them out on hot days.
I open the windows and doors on the coop to allow more air flow (both have a hardware cloth screen attached)

 

[OreoH]

Shade would help if the run has a roof or under a tree.
Fresh water 3-4 times a day on those hot days will help.
Some chickens make a hole in the ground from dust bathing and they will just lay in the cool ground.
I always have a watermelon in the fridge if there are hot days coming and put them out on hot days.
I open the windows and doors on the coop to allow more air flow (both have a hardware cloth screen attached)

Thank you! I'll see if I can find watermelon but I don't think we have any.

 

[Cheeki]

I freeze plastic shoe boxes full of water and dump a couple into their watering pan. It takes a while to melt so provides them with cool water for quite a while. I also hose down the main roost area in the coop, provide old lawn furniture for extra shade and hose down the outside of the coop

 

[OreoH]

I freeze plastic shoe boxes full of water and dump a couple into their watering pan. It takes a while to melt so provides them with cool water for quite a while. I also hose down the main roost area in the coop, provide old lawn furniture for extra shade and hose down the outside of the coop

Thank you so much! I'll definitely spray.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Cucumbers work too if they are cool. Just slice them in half.
You can also use an ice cream pail, fill with different fruits and vegetables, fill with water and freeze. This will give you a treat ice block that will slowly melt on those hot days.

 

[OreoH]

Also, does anyone know the absolute maximum temperature for Brahma pullets? It's only going to get hotter this week, although the hottest day will come with a rainstorm.

 

[IamRainey]

Here's another thread with lots of ideas. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/hot-chickens.1405323/#post-23068509

But right now, you could give them those bananas frozen. You could also go to the grocery store and get some bags of frozen fruit to give them in the hottest part of the day.

Yes, ice cubes in a pan will help them. I use aluminum pans that I get from Costco ready-to-eat-foods. They peck at the cubes, they can drink the cold water as it melts and they can even step in it.

And digging in is another way they cope.

Do provide any shade you can like a beach umbrella or whatever you have. I also use box fans.