Do they do this due to the heat?

[3KillerBs]

That photo is a perfect illustration of a hot chicken.

Shade, plenty of water, electrolytes, access to ground where they can dig down to a cooler layer, and good airflow will help.

Just like people, chickens facing sudden heat seem to have more trouble than chickens that have acclimated to heat at the same temperatures. I read here about chickens panting and holding their wings out at 85F (29C), where that would be a cool summer day for my chickens, who are used to 90-95F (32-35C) as their normal temperatures.

My chickens spend most of their summer afternoons dug into pits in the shady sections of the run.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Thanks, we bought a big watermelon + a cantaloupe again today, sometimes my husband and me will laugh at each other: We shop meats for dogs and cats, veggies and fruits for hens

In the evening after I get home from work I mix their feed with water to make an oatmeal consistency and chuck it in the freezer. When it's time for them to go back in the run I pull that dish of somewhat frozen mash out put a little extra water on top and they come running!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

thanks, immediately ordered some!

I bought one of those 1 gallon cat waterers, I use one of @aart small recipes for the save a chick, mix it in that wateter, freeze it over night and it lasts most of the day in the run

 

[Phaedra Geiermann]

Yes, their coop and run is located under big trees, so they have plenty shade the entire day and they did create several places for sandbath and accessing to the cooler layer.

Electrolytes is something I missed, so thank you all

 

[Chuckie chicken]

Interestingly, I see mine do it most often in the evening after it's cooled off already. They must notice that their body temp is a lot higher than the air. Like @3KillerBs , mine like to pick a nice shady spot and dig in.