cooling off your chickens

[NatJ]

Treats should only make up 10% of their total diet.

Wet chicken food is the exception. It's properly balanced, so they can have as much as they like of it. And if you wet it with cold water, it's both cool and somewhat hydrating.

 

[Hillbilly Texan]

I live in north central Texas south of Fort Worth with a flock of 75. As everyone has stated heat has been extreme this season with temps exceeding 100 for the last 2 weeks with high humidity. The humidity is unusual for us with the heat. My summer cooling routines are:
1. Jugs of ice in 5 gallon water buckets in the morning.
2. Electrolytes in water every other day
3. No vinegar which inhibits calcium absorption in the heat
4. No corn or other starchy treats which raise body temp (same as us)
5. Rotate fruit and vegetable treats for maximum nutritional benefits
6. Soaker hoses running at a trickle throughout the hottest part of day
7. Industrial fan and cupola fan in coop; additional fan in nest box area.
8. Shade cloth over dust bathing areas; feeders and water buckets all shaded.

My chickens free range so I don't have a run. My coop is elevated and chickens hang out under the coop. The chickens absolutely love the soaker hoses. The hoses create puddles, make fresh water available and cool their feet and the surrounding ground. The hoses are located under trees. I feed treats in the evening before they are going to roost to ensure they are getting necessary nutrition from layer/grower feed.

The chart is from Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens by Gail Damerow (my chicken bible)

 

[Hillbilly Texan]

Wet chicken food is the exception. It's properly balanced, so they can have as much as they like of it. And if you wet it with cold water, it's both cool and somewhat hydrating.

Wetting their food isn't a treat... She asked about feeding frozen watermelon every hour to very young chickens.

 

[sayccrn]

No, it is not for a couple reasons. Their water should be cool but not cold as it can be too big a shock to the system. It's the same reason we don't a/c or heat coops. In addition, if you are providing frozen TREATS on a continual basis, they aren't eating their feed which leads to inadequate nutrition. Treats should only make up 10% of their total diet.

Oh, I see, thank you. It's been so hot the ice melts in minutes, and they have no problem finishing up their food. 2.5 cups fermented feed for 5 varying stages chicks, 5-8weeks.

 

[sayccrn]

I live in north central Texas south of Fort Worth with a flock of 75. As everyone has stated heat has been extreme this season with temps exceeding 100 for the last 2 weeks with high humidity. The humidity is unusual for us with the heat. My summer cooling routines are:
1. Jugs of ice in 5 gallon water buckets in the morning.
2. Electrolytes in water every other day
3. No vinegar which inhibits calcium absorption in the heat
4. No corn or other starchy treats which raise body temp (same as us)
5. Rotate fruit and vegetable treats for maximum nutritional benefits
6. Soaker hoses running at a trickle throughout the hottest part of day
7. Industrial fan and cupola fan in coop; additional fan in nest box area.
8. Shade cloth over dust bathing areas; feeders and water buckets all shaded.

My chickens free range so I don't have a run. My coop is elevated and chickens hang out under the coop. The chickens absolutely love the soaker hoses. The hoses create puddles, make fresh water available and cool their feet and the surrounding ground. The hoses are located under trees. I feed treats in the evening before they are going to roost to ensure they are getting necessary nutrition from layer/grower feed.

The chart is from Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens by Gail Damerow (my chicken bible)
View attachment 2249543

Thank you! I pretty much do these things, in varying degrees for my 5 chicks.

 

[sayccrn]

Wetting their food isn't a treat... She asked about feeding frozen watermelon every hour to very young chickens.

I feed them fermented and it is cold from the frig in the morning. It also gets wet with the mist throughout the day. They have decided they now like cucumbers too, so I freeze spears fro them, they seem to like that better than watermelon!

 

[sayccrn]

Mine are like that too..they hate the sprinkler, but I run it so it catches the edge of the coop, so they get a cooling off from the mist. Seems to work. Tomorrow will be another hot day here. Heat index of 105. Makes me wanna bring my girls in the house..lol

I have been doing this too, as I cool the tarp, I do it by the fan, so it mists them, they seem to enjoy it and I notice now the older chicks will go to the mist now.

 

[sayccrn]

Thank you

My cake pain is 3 inches deep too.

 

[Lilokieescorter]

My cake pain is 3 inches deep too.

I have an extra cake pan, I may Sacrifice it

 

[amenfarm]

Ok...so, are you saying that icing their water bowl and giving them watermelon icecubes is not a good thing every hour? They do have a fan and I spray the ground by the fan so it also mists them. Should i be doing something else?

Ok...so, are you saying that icing their water bowl and giving them watermelon icecubes is not a good thing every hour? They do have a fan and I spray the ground by the fan so it also mists them. Should i be doing something else?

I'm saying give fresh cool water, but don't change their body temp so much that it shoots up afterwards Give deep shade, cool water, I have a fan in the coop. save frozen treats for when the temps are going down for the day.