Coop or free range in this extreme heat?

[Jake T]

We have 6 17 week old Wyandottes and we are new to raising chickens. Love it BTW! I have been reading all the great ideas on how to take care of the chickens in this extreme heat this year. We have a 8x10 coop w/ hen house, covered, and in a shaded area. We have set frozen 1 gallon jugs out in the coop, pour cool water on the grd, change out their water at least 2-3 times daily, and have a fan blowing on the coop from the outside. We let them free range when we are around. When they are outside they go underneath the decks or find other cool spots. They much rather free range then stay in the coop...(of course !)

QUESTION: Is it better to let them free range and find their own cool spots or keep them in the coop where they have their water readily available, fan blowing, and frozen water? We also give them frozen water melon and blueberries...got this idea also from BYC! As most of us, temps have been in the 100's and will continue to be in the high 90's w/ humidity. We live in NC. Would appreciate some advice. Thank you

 

[jpcode]

I would give them their choice. You might place water where they tend to go.

 

[Feanor]

I'm in Mississippi so I know what you mean. All of my girls can't wait to get out of the coop in the morning, they're literally jumping at the door when they see me coming! With it being so hot for so long their run is just a big pile of dust. When they get out they run straight under my house and stay there all day, coming in and out to the coop for food, water, and to lay an egg. My guess is that they were originally attracted by the bugs and worms, but I was thinking, when I water the plants everyday a lot of water runs under the house so the ground there stays moist. Combined with the steady breeze of air rushing through from one side to the other plus the shade, I bet that is the coolest place around. Chickens can be a lot smarter than we give them credit for

 

[Jake T]

That is true Feanor! Thanks for the reply!

 

[triplepurpose]

I would give them their choice. You might place water where they tend to go.

x2

 

[erinchelsea]

It depends on what they prefer. For some reason now that it's really hot (over 100) my chickens like to stay in the coop. they dig through the bedding to lay on the cement floor.Our run is large and well shaded, and we always have a breeze so I think I'd rather be outside but not them! I did have their water out in the range but had to move it inside because they weren't going outside enough to drink.

 

[karlamaria]

our coop is so well insulated its cool in the hen house, i mean majorly cool. my hens have a choice, pen or coop. I let them free range for the last 15 months but I'm tired of the poop every day and my dogs gobbling it when they can.yeah we picked it up every day, but Im really wanting my yard for my dogs since they have had to be taken out the front door all year. a pain to keep them from any droppings, and from killing a chicken.
I just paid a huge fortune on a new pen, and there going to use it darn it. its so shady in the pen, I had a roof added, and in the winter I will wrap it up in plastic to keep snow out. for now, there getting all the alfalfa pellets, organic grains, feed and lots of cool water, cut grassfruit and veggies in the pen !

 

[Jake T]

Thanks you guys. Its pretty cool to be in touch w/ people from different parts of the country and how you handle your chickens!

 

[PartyOnARoost]

Hey Jake,
I live in Northern Illinois and we are getting more then 100 degrees here, with barely any winds... Today I let my two chickens out of their small coop to free range, since we do not have a run, and they free ranged for more then 7 hours, while I was in a room in the house with the AC watching them from the window, on the iPad looking at BYC... The chickens were panting so I gave them some fresh watermelon all throughout the day and they LOVED it. I also froze an ice block (put some water in a zip lock bag and put it in the freezer for a while) and put that in a cake pan and as it melted it gave them freezing water for them to drink and rest over. I also put some electrolyte in their waterer and it helped a lot... No fan was added though so what I did was let them free range while I was inside watching them, and coop them up at like around 6 or so and let them out for about 30 minutes after that... I may not have time the next couple of days to watch them for 7 hours but it's still VERY good to let them out for a little bit letting them do their thing. Hope all goes well, good luck!

 

[Cryptkeeper]

I let my girls out of the coop at 5:30 in the morning and leave the door the the run open , let them free range until they put themselves to roost around 8-8:30pm. They like to hang out in my garden under the tomato plants, or sunflowers, or rosebushes and go into their run for water and coop for their feed and to lay, and they seem to be doing great.