Cooling off the Chickens?

[LeonaGD]

Such a good and loving question about taking care of the flock in this big heat wave. The ideas are great too - ice, frozen treats, shade, air flow, hosing down, and all. I love that we have such great resources and support with each other!

I've got seven Australian Orpingtons varying in age from 2-9 years old and six Buff Orpingtons that are 3 months old and all of their strategies during the day were to dig for dust baths and then stay there to keep cool. They were pretty cute, I must say (but I failed to get photos!).

Our water system is two 5 gallon buckets using gravity to automatic waterers. Through the years, on super hot days, I fill the 5 gallon buckets 2/3 water and 1/3 ice and also toss some ice into other waterers around the yard when I let everyone out to forage. We have a couple of great shady/protective spots in the yard they like as well.

Here is a photo of our 9 year-old, DeeDee sipping some cool water after the ice melted. And, here is a photo of a bunch of the 3 month-olds roosting on top of the pipe for the waterer a few days back before the heatwave (I installed a bar on top so they don't actually roost on the pipe).

Great vibes to everyone and hope all the ideas for keeping our flocks cool work out well!

 

[Flockincrazy]

Is it like that in winter too?

No I have plywood inserts that fit in the frame for winter im in Northern Ohio so winter can be pretty brutal

 

[IamRainey]

Great idea to add those small waterers so they're never far from it when they need to cool off and hydrate.

 

[jsr5]

I have not read all 7 pages but don t wait give em the banna frozed they will peck at it as it thaws and get the coolest possible banna I cut up and freeze my watermellons and freeze them on a cookie sheet they will last half a day in my flock of 5o or so . I keep every shallow pan an old palstic sled partially filled kiddie pool etc full or at least a couple inches in them for standing in. (not too full or they won't get in) I spray water as high as I can into the trees over the run works kinda like a swamp cooler. My brahma (light) pullets were about 3 months old when the hot weather hit and they are doing fine free range having been integrated for a month and a half prior into a "brooder" section of the main coop. More of a introductory area than brooder. Hope this helps I'll read more later busy with a girl hurt by danged old fox this morining. Why do they always come when my wife is out with em and not when I'm around. I just don't get it.

 

[NomadMik]

If you live in the desert then evaporative cooling works great. I am in Phoenix and I use misters. It makes the air more breathable otherwise they suffocate.

 

[glenwolde]

My chickens love corn! I buy a big can of corn and pour it into muffin pans and freeze. They love this treat. They also love corn on the cob which you don't even have to cook.

My chickens are panting a lot too. I try to go out there several times a day with a cool treat. They like cottage cheese and also vanilla yogurt. I put a big spoonful of either and top it with some food and they cobble it up.

I do have a small pool for them. I put ice cubes in to cool down the water. Then I pick a chicken up and put their feet in and out to cool them down and feel comfortable with the water. Then if they are really panting, I will stand them in the water and cup my hand full of water and cool down their body too. This helps.

 

[calicodonna]

I made a little shade out of a long length of green tulle fabric (like net) and fastened it to the run where the afternoon sun is the worst; it allows the air to flow through freely but does give a little shade. Also have several large potted shrubs (one is a grapefruit) that I move by the run for portable shade in the weeks when it's most needed. When it's especially hot, I hose down the tin roof of the run, first checking that the water coming out of the hose isn't hot.

 

[Parront]

Once or twice a week give them some electrolytes. Sav-a-chick is good, or pediatric electrolytes from the dollar store work, too. In a seperate water dish, with the plain regular water still available. You can put some ice in it to make it cool and attractive to drink.

 

[Spikeandbean]

I’m in Tucson and lost two of my 21 chickens to the heat yesterday. It was a record breaking 114F yesterday and it doesn’t get below 105F for the next 10 days. This is very unusual.The humidity is medium because we are in the middle of monsoon season, although we’ve seen no rain.

My chickens don’t free range because we have loads of hawks and, because we’re in the desert, there is no cover. They have plenty of shade because I have tarps over the run. I give them cold watermelon during the day (which they run to get when they hear me ). Ice in their water. Ice with water in a litter tray which four chickens immediately jump into. I’ve tried a kiddy pool but they wouldn’t go in it.

I see the suggestions for dampening down bedding but I thought it wasn’t good for them to have that wet? I’ll try dampening down the outside of the coop. I’m also going to try a mister again. I tried it last year but the water was evaporating to high up and making no difference. I’ll try it lower down in the run. I’ve also frozen unsalted corn in ice cube trays.

Any suggestions? I was so happy that I’d managed to keep 21 chickens alive from day old chicks for 15 months and now I’m kind of devastated.

I'm so sorry for your loss. How devastating. As far as the mister, have you tried one of those stand-up mister models that attaches to a hose? I haven't tried it myself (mine clips along the side of my run), but it seems like it could help with the evaporation issue.

 

[NannaLea64]

I put ice in their water several times throughout a hot day. Soak their run with sprinkler the night before a hot forecast, to cool down the sand a just make the air cooler too. As they love to dig, they find a spot under the tree in their run and dig a nice hole to lay in. Keeping the sand(ground) cool is important as they control their body temperatures through their feet...