Over the past few years I've struggled to keep my flock cool on the really sweltering summer days. Neither meat birds nor laying hens like to get sprayed with water. This summer I tried turning the hose nozzle on "MIST" and hooked it on the fence. Voila! Most every broiler waddled in and parked under the cool mist. They didn't move even after getting drenched. Seems like the bigger droplets scare them, but the mist does not.
It's supposed to be 95 again today. I'm going to try this. I set up a simple sprinkler yesterday, but they didn't go near it. They look so miserable with their mouths open and their wings spaced out. They do free range and can find a variety of conditions, but 95 is still hot, even out west with very low humidity. I'll let you know what they think.
During our summer when my birds were suffering from the heat I'd freeze water in 2 liter plastic coca-cola bottles and just lay them in the pen. In no time the birds were drapped all over them cooling off. In the evening after things had cooled down and the ice had melted, the bottles would go back in the freezer to be ready for the next day.