Could Electrolytes be a bad idea?

[RGB RIP]

Thanks, everyone. When it first started heating up and the hens were looking stressed in even 85 degree weather, I started to panic, and all sorts of online articles stressed electrolytes. But now that we've got highs every day over 100, I'm bringing them inside as soon as it hits the low 90s anyway. They spend the whole afternoon in the air conditioning, so I've decided to stop the electrolytes entirely for the time being and see if that makes things better. They seem to prefer cool plain water anyway. Maybe by the end of the summer I'll have figured out a better solution than indoor chickens, but for right now it's working ok.

 

[3KillerBs]

Thanks, everyone. When it first started heating up and the hens were looking stressed in even 85 degree weather, I started to panic, and all sorts of online articles stressed electrolytes. But now that we've got highs every day over 100, I'm bringing them inside as soon as it hits the low 90s anyway. They spend the whole afternoon in the air conditioning, so I've decided to stop the electrolytes entirely for the time being and see if that makes things better. They seem to prefer cool plain water anyway. Maybe by the end of the summer I'll have figured out a better solution than indoor chickens, but for right now it's working ok.

They should be able to acclimate to the heat.

My chickens think of anything under 90 as a cool day. We haven't had temperatures up to 100 this year, but my previous flock managed to come through that sort of weather.

 

[RGB RIP]

They should be able to acclimate to the heat.

My chickens think of anything under 90 as a cool day. We haven't had temperatures up to 100 this year, but my previous flock managed to come through that sort of weather.

The really odd thing is that my RIR is the one who's really having heat issues, while my Faverolle - with her tiny comb and feathered feet - handles it a bit better. I'm worried there might be some other health issue going on with the RIR, but her only symptoms are panting and holding her wings out. She still has energy, appetite, normal poop, no congestion sounds, etc. She just really struggles in even mild heat, and I can't figure out what to do about it except bring her inside.

 

[NightingaleJen]

Thanks, everyone. When it first started heating up and the hens were looking stressed in even 85 degree weather, I started to panic, and all sorts of online articles stressed electrolytes. But now that we've got highs every day over 100, I'm bringing them inside as soon as it hits the low 90s anyway. They spend the whole afternoon in the air conditioning, so I've decided to stop the electrolytes entirely for the time being and see if that makes things better. They seem to prefer cool plain water anyway. Maybe by the end of the summer I'll have figured out a better solution than indoor chickens, but for right now it's working ok.

Please do not let your flock tell my flock about the magic of "air conditioning". Not sure I want twelve contemptuously dirty looks all at once.

(I panicked a bit too during our first couple of heat waves this year; granted, they started in April with a week of 85+ days. Based on @aart's recommendation, the girls get electrolytes 1x/week when it's really hot--heat index of 85 or more, since it is very humid here-- with plenty of plain water on the side.)

 

[Gizabelle]

I'm bringing them inside as soon as it hits the low 90s anyway. They spend the whole afternoon in the air conditioning,

Oh, my husband would kill me! Lucky birdies you have there.
90 is a cool day here, and its ALWAYS humid. Don't tell my girls coming inside is an option

 

[rosemarythyme]

My girls start getting hot around 85F but I just put out foot baths in the shade for them at that point, no electrolytes and definitely no AC (we don't have it anyhow).

 

[RGB RIP]

Oh, my husband would kill me! Lucky birdies you have there.
90 is a cool day here, and its ALWAYS humid. Don't tell my girls coming inside is an option

Yeah, I may have started a bad thing. Saturday morning it was still pretty cool and the girls were outside, when the RIR pecked at the back door to be let in. I opened the door and she strolled in and climbed into the covered kitty litter box I gave them to nest in. I went about my business, and half an hour later I heard loud clucking. She was standing by the door again, waiting to be let out. Apparently that's now her nesting box of choice.

 

[Katanahamon]

Before our long heatwave started, I had been switching off between ACV and a lactobacillus supplement in the girls' waterer. Then I read that when it's hot, you should stop giving ACV and give them electrolytes instead. So I switched to the Rooster Booster probiotic and electrolyte supplement. Not long after, I saw that one of my hens was getting heat stressed even when the temperature was only in the low-mid 80s. Now because it's over 100 degrees every day, I've been keeping them inside in the air conditioning during the hottest parts of the day. But even in the cool house, I see her panting quite often.

Then today I read an article saying that unless your chickens are sick, you shouldn't give them electrolytes because they're mostly salt. This particular hen does drink a lot of water, so now I'm wondering if the electrolytes are raising her blood pressure, which is in turn making her less heat tolerant and causing her to pant more, which in turn is making her drink more water, so that it's a spiraling problem. The Rooster Booster instructions only call for using a very small amount, but I'm still wondering if I should stop it altogether and just give them plain water for a while.

Has anyone ever experiences this problem with electrolytes and chickens?

Possible solution for you..here in Salt Lake we’ve had awful heat, like 105-106, and my girls are 17 weeks this week, so, their undersized mass helped with the heat, but, I used the Santa Cruz electrolyte powder, but in their (organic Modesto) food. I put a scoop on top, misted with water so it didn’t all just fall off and go to the bottom, mix it, along with some organic herbs. That way the electrolytes are in the food and they can drink as much water as they need to flush the salts out. I also read in Gail Damerow’s book Chicken Health about not using ACV in extreme heat as it messes with calcium metabolism. So far, my girls have done great with the heat and my solution. They can get under their coop, and I’ve covered the run with shade cloth as the heat and sun are brutal. In the water I put probiotics and a vitamin preparation, the Durvet product with Vit ADEK I believe.. I would put ice cubes in their water in late afternoon, read that they prefer 55ndegree water and will not drink hot water. I keep their water under the coop in the shade, wash it every day with soap and water when I bring their food and water inside my house at night to prevent any possible rodent attraction or contamination..
edit..I bought a portable swamp cooler for the coop to cool it during the day with the extreme heat..I have to turn it off at roosting time, they don’t like the powerful fan!

edit again! I also would spray water under the coop at night so the next day the breeze helps make cool spots, and occasionally during the day for them to walk around on it to cool off..that and cold watermelon, frozen corn niblets in muffin trays, etc..

I think it’s important to keep electrolytes out of the water for healthy chickens so you have that safety valve of being able to drink fresh, pure water to flush any excess electrolytes out of their systems. It’s different for sick or already heat stroked-out birds, it might need to be in the water at that point..

 

[RGB RIP]

Possible solution for you..here in Salt Lake we’ve had awful heat, like 105-106, and my girls are 17 weeks this week, so, their undersized mass helped with the heat, but, I used the Santa Cruz electrolyte powder, but in their (organic Modesto) food. I put a scoop on top, misted with water so it didn’t all just fall off and go to the bottom, mix it, along with some organic herbs. That way the electrolytes are in the food and they can drink as much water as they need to flush the salts out. I also read in Gail Damerow’s book Chicken Health about not using ACV in extreme heat as it messes with calcium metabolism. So far, my girls have done great with the heat and my solution. They can get under their coop, and I’ve covered the run with shade cloth as the heat and sun are brutal. In the water I put probiotics and a vitamin preparation, the Durvet product with Vit ADEK I believe.. I would put ice cubes in their water in late afternoon, read that they prefer 55ndegree water and will not drink hot water. I keep their water under the coop in the shade, wash it every day with soap and water when I bring their food and water inside my house at night to prevent any possible rodent attraction or contamination..
edit..I bought a portable swamp cooler for the coop to cool it during the day with the extreme heat..I have to turn it off at roosting time, they don’t like the powerful fan!

edit again! I also would spray water under the coop at night so the next day the breeze helps make cool spots, and occasionally during the day for them to walk around on it to cool off..that and cold watermelon, frozen corn niblets in muffin trays, etc..

I think it’s important to keep electrolytes out of the water for healthy chickens so you have that safety valve of being able to drink fresh, pure water to flush any excess electrolytes out of their systems. It’s different for sick or already heat stroked-out birds, it might need to be in the water at that point..

That's a good point. I've already noticed that, even having them indoors during the heat, they drink a surprising amount of water. More, for example, than my small dogs. So it makes sense that I'd need to be careful about overdoing the electrolytes.

 

[RGB RIP]

(Web cam shot of a chicken in Los Angeles watching a YouTube live feed of an array of bird feeders in Georgia. Because, 2021.)