cooling off your chickens

[chickencoop57]

I think my chicks are still too young to appreciate real food. they do not touch anything I try to offer them. They don't have a clue what to do with it all. I mean what chicken doesn't like lettuce, peas, berries, corn?

Be patient and give them time to mature, they'll eventually come around.

 

[Debby R]

It's very hot in GA today, the only one that seems to mind it is my brown leghorn. They have a tarp cover pvc tractor wit the ends open in the direction of the wind. every hour i add ice to their water, I put a pan of shallow water with in it for her, I even made a berry smoothie. the leghorn just walked through the smoothie and no one is really taking advantage of anything but the water. I do not have shade and I think I need to get a fan. what fan setups do you all have? Is there a fan you really like and works well? I was maybe wanting one with a light too, and a clip for their coop. What set ups and what do you all do to get them to enjoy their treats> So far, I think my chickens are from another planet, they don't even like lettuce!

We live in central FL. I had a good fan from Northern Tool for a two years running 24/7 most of the year. When it died, I installed a 12” exhaust fan in one of the windows. My pen is 8x12” with 5 chickens. I have a roof with air flow under it. They hunker down in the sand (Which stays cool) when it gets really hot. Egg production slows. I keep thermometers in coop and pen. I got a mister from Rural King but haven’t used it yet. They run to cold treats like yogurt and unsweetened applesauce and apples. I think you have to have shade.

 

[Debby R]

Here in TX it gets quite hot. I have an 8’x8’ area of the run that is covered and allows for shade, there is also a mesquite tree and an old coop that they huddle under for shade inside their run (a 40’x40’ fenced in area). But the coolest addition is the pvc misting system my husband installed. It’s mounted about 7’ up, around the shaded area and is on a timer so everyday it turns on and gives them 4 hours of cooling mist during the hottest hours of the day. The chickens love it.

That sounds great! Bet you have some happy chickens!

 

[chickencoop57]

Here in TX it gets quite hot. I have an 8’x8’ area of the run that is covered and allows for shade, there is also a mesquite tree and an old coop that they huddle under for shade inside their run (a 40’x40’ fenced in area). But the coolest addition is the pvc misting system my husband installed. It’s mounted about 7’ up, around the shaded area and is on a timer so everyday it turns on and gives them 4 hours of cooling mist during the hottest hours of the day. The chickens love it.

Hey Karalyn, that's an idea. Don't know what part of Texas your in but I'm around the San Antonio area, in the Texas Hill Country and its pretty darn hot here, as well. My hens dont like the water but that misting system sounds like its just what I need. I'd actually bought some mist'ers, awhile ago, for my 3 rabbits but I've just been using a spray bottle on them during the hottest parts of the day and they like it. So now I know what to do with them.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

I don't remember for sure if I purchased the camouflage netting from Amazon or Academy...I'm thinking Amazon though.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

Here in TX it gets quite hot. I have an 8’x8’ area of the run that is covered and allows for shade, there is also a mesquite tree and an old coop that they huddle under for shade inside their run (a 40’x40’ fenced in area). But the coolest addition is the pvc misting system my husband installed. It’s mounted about 7’ up, around the shaded area and is on a timer so everyday it turns on and gives them 4 hours of cooling mist during the hottest hours of the day. The chickens love it.

I wish I had thought about that earlier...that is a GREAT idea for keeping the girls cool. Could you describe the setup i.e. how long and many misters you use. Here's a tip for you: put a misting system on your AC unit outside unit so it cool the air being drawn into it...there are several YouTube videos that show you how.

 

[Karalyn]

Hey Karalyn, that's an idea. Don't know what part of Texas your in but I'm around the San Antonio area, in the Texas Hill Country and its pretty darn hot here, as well. My hens dont like the water but that misting system sounds like its just what I need. I'd actually bought some mist'ers, awhile ago, for my 3 rabbits but I've just been using a spray bottle on them during the hottest parts of the day and they like it. So now I know what to do with them.

We are in San Antonio. I tried the flimsy tube misting system, but apparently our water pressure was to high and the tubing burst. Hubby saw that Home Depot had a kit with pvc piping so I went and bought 3 kits. It works like a charm. I’ve gone through all the suggestions that have been offered up here over the past few years, but this seems to be the best solution I’ve come up with so far.

 

[chickencoop57]

Sometimes the hens like to go into theyre 8'x4'x7' closed in coop to, I guess get out of the heat, though I thought it would warmer in there. However, I do have a two 15"x15" windows and a 10" fan in one of them. I had the fan facing outward to draw the heat out of coop but I just turned it around, since it faces the nest boxes, to see if that'll help with the laying. I'm gonna get another fan to put in the other window, to draw the heat out. We'll see how it goes.

 

[chickencoop57]

We are in San Antonio. I tried the flimsy tube misting system, but apparently our water pressure was to high and the tubing burst. Hubby saw that Home Depot had a kit with pvc piping so I went and bought 3 kits. It works like a charm. I’ve gone through all the suggestions that have been offered up here over the past few years, but this seems to be the best solution I’ve come up with so far.

Ahh, neighbors, almost! I just bought the lil mist'er's on Ebay but don't have the tubing and accessories. Think I'll run to Boerne today and check those kits out. Thanks for the info!

 

[Karalyn]

I wish I had thought about that earlier...that is a GREAT idea for keeping the girls cool. Could you describe the setup i.e. how long and many misters you use. Here's a tip for you: put a misting system on your AC unit outside unit so it cool the air being drawn into it...there are several YouTube videos that show you how.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-1-2-in-x-12-ft-Professional-PVC-Misting-Kit-PMC1217K/311952837
I hope this link works. This is the system I have. It’s only 12’ long so I bought 3 of them. Hubby mounted it up around the top of the shaded section and we just have a garden hose running along the ground from the tap to the pipe.