CURE: beat the heat!! 2 great ideas!!

[Unswydd]

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I feel for you as well, the humidity makes it feel so much hotter and makes the situation worse for sure. Good news that old clunky window unit still runs! It is now mounted in the coop and only took 35 minutes to bring the temp down from 100 to 80. They are comfy and safe now from the heat for the summer. Who knew raising chickens was going to be so hard? Oh well, they are worth it. Each has it's own personality and they are funny birds.

Yay!!! Glad it worked. I sat with my girls all day yesterday in the heat. I can't imagine how hot they were as I was melting!
Yeah, I thought this was going to be easy but it's a bit stressful isn't it!
But as you said, "It's worth it". I love my girls I just wish they'd be more friendly towards me.

 

[Unswydd]

I am wondering about electrolytes. I give them some because of the heat but do you change it out every day? They also have plain water.

 

[ValerieLovesChickens]

Yay!!! Glad it worked. I sat with my girls all day yesterday in the heat. I can't imagine how hot they were as I was melting!
Yeah, I thought this was going to be easy but it's a bit stressful isn't it!
But as you said, "It's worth it". I love my girls I just wish they'd be more friendly towards me.

The way I got mine to be friendly was by hand feeding them things like lettuce, strawberries, spinach, tall weeds from the yard. Basically anything I can safely hold, while they peck away at it. It helped a lot in forming a bond with them. Now they run to the run door to see me every time I go outside.

 

[ValerieLovesChickens]

I am wondering about electrolytes. I give them some because of the heat but do you change it out every day? They also have plain water.

The best advice on electrolytes is a rotation system. Two days of plain water, then electrolytes for 24 hours, then plain water 48 hours, electrolytes again. This was per our vet. There are also homemade electrolyte recipes on the internet you can make, that are a lot cheaper. Also, do not use apple cider vinegar in the summer! It is an acid, and the vet said it will further dehydrate your chickens. If you suspect worms, to chop up some fresh garlic cloves and feed that to them, during the summer months.

 

[Unswydd]

The best advice on electrolytes is a rotation system. Two days of plain water, then electrolytes for 24 hours, then plain water 48 hours, electrolytes again. This was per our vet. There are also homemade electrolyte recipes on the internet you can make, that are a lot cheaper. Also, do not use apple cider vinegar in the summer! It is an acid, and the vet said it will further dehydrate your chickens. If you suspect worms, to chop up some fresh garlic cloves and feed that to them, during the summer months.

Good information here!!! Thank you ever so much!!!

 

[ValerieLovesChickens]

Good information here!!! Thank you ever so much!!!

You are so welcome!! Us chicken mamas gotta flock together. LoL

 

[Unswydd]

You are so welcome!! Us chicken mamas gotta flock together. LoL

Yes indeed!!!!!
I also just harvested my garlic and it's cured and ready. I may just give them a bit every now and then as a preventative. My girls are still scared of me so it's hard to check them without stressing them out. lol

 

[Matejka]

Where about in Texas do you live? I'm a bit west of Austin and it's really the humidity that's the killer. It just never cools down. Honestly I think me and my animals would be fine with the 100F weather if it weren't for the nighttime 85% humidity.

Near Bryan/College Station 90 miles east of Austin. I chimed in because I am trying to figure heat control here also.

 

[ValerieLovesChickens]

Near Bryan/College Station 90 miles east of Austin. I chimed in because I am trying to figure heat control here also.

I've been taking ice out every hour today for their water, since the heat index hit 106. Also gently spraying down the ground of the run, I closed their door to the coop after I got them all out because they were panting so hard. Moist cool ground, they stand on it and it cools them down. You can also find some sort of container, put brick(s) and water in it. They will stand on it to cool down also. We turn the window unit on 35 minutes before dark to cool the coop down to 80, then leave it set at 80 until we go to bed. We let them back into the coop after its down to 84. But 80 seems to be our magic number for this mixed flock.

 

[Matejka]

I've been taking ice out every hour today for their water, since the heat index hit 106. Also gently spraying down the ground of the run, I closed their door to the coop after I got them all out because they were panting so hard. Moist cool ground, they stand on it and it cools them down. You can also find some sort of container, put brick(s) and water in it. They will stand on it to cool down also. We turn the window unit on 35 minutes before dark to cool the coop down to 80, then leave it set at 80 until we go to bed. We let them back into the coop after its down to 84. But 80 seems to be our magic number for this mixed flock.

I can't see putting an a/c in the coop. We DO NOT use a/c at all, we use fans in every room in the house, including the bathrooms. I have been watering the trees, roses, and flower beds daily and the chickens will not go near them. They bury themselves behind the live oaks in deep shade.