Dyeing because too hot?

[ChicKat]

The run is shaded 1/2 with a roof & 1/2 with a pine tree. There's usually a breeze (albeit a hit one) running through which the misters really help. The coop is shaded by my pole barn for part of the day.

Hang in there~ Hope that they will all make it through!

 

[NC Chicks]

This is all really good advice! I'm concerned with moving my chicks into the coop in the NC heat. Plus I have chicks of different ages I must integrate. Right now they are inside in two different brooders. I don't have the AC on, but there are ceiling fans going. I'm not sure if I'm more concerned about the heat or the integration. Thoughts?

 

[ChicKat]

This is all really good advice! I'm concerned with moving my chicks into the coop in the NC heat. Plus I have chicks of different ages I must integrate. Right now they are inside in two different brooders. I don't have the AC on, but there are ceiling fans going. I'm not sure if I'm more concerned about the heat or the integration. Thoughts?

scour the listings on BYC for what you can do -- make sure that they have deep dark shade -- not filtered shade or light cover. wet the ground and the roof of the pen or coop. Leave water shallow enough for them to wade in. You could get a mister for you hose -- or even a mist system... -- blocks of Ice - or Ice frozen in plastic gallon bottles -- placed where the air from a fan can blow over them....

Any cooling ideas that come to mind.....If you can monitor them watch for signs of heat stress.....

good luck and come back with brilliant ideas that you find -- and things that you did and what worked and list them here

ETA - oh yeah -- and be aware that the plastic gallon bottles can splinter and deteriorate in the sun and heat....after using them for awhile......

 

[chfriedmam]

today is supposed to be about 110 in N. Hollywood. My chicks are coming in about 10 days. I had been thinking about keeping them outside to be cooler than my garage, but I think now they might have to be in the spare room of my house, with too-frequent cleanings, so that they survive the heat!

 

[twinsmom6]

hot here in southern Arizona up to 117 and suspected to hit 119 before the end of this time. It is really dry and hot and even the breeze will burn your eyes. We just lost two visiting hikers in the mountain by my home from heat ! Dangerous. We have done frozen treats; ice water filled wading pools and a home made AC unit.. they all help. The frozen jugs of water were not really my girls things. What I have found to be most effective is the mister system with a fan blowing through it.. Just water can heat up to and just fan will blow the hot air around. so the combo works the best. lots of shade and air circulation and many water sources.. bowls of cool water for drinking and wading. If they are little need to bring them inside.. and little guys can drown in the bowls of water so be cauious... So far have not lost any of the girls but it is scary..

thank you to all who have contributed suggestions on this site.. my girls have really done well thanks to the positive advice.. you are life savers

 

[ChicKat]

today is supposed to be about 110 in N. Hollywood. My chicks are coming in about 10 days. I had been thinking about keeping them outside to be cooler than my garage, but I think now they might have to be in the spare room of my house, with too-frequent cleanings, so that they survive the heat!

When I lived in CA - I would speak to my father on Saturday mornings. Of course he would forget the time difference and call about 8AM EST which was about 5AM PST. He would ask about the weather and I would always say "it's 70 and sunny -- eventhough it wasn't daylight yet....but that was a pretty good weather forecast for CA back in those days.....it was just about always sunny and in the 70s'.

You're right IMO to put your chicks in the spare room.... as twinsmom6 indicates little ones cannot regulate their body temps well. -- When they are tiny -- they really aren't too messy etc. -- and usually I keep them in the brooder box for 4 weeks -- unless outside is freezing temps. So -- you shouldn't have too much problem and hopefully by about week 3 - the heat and high pressure will be gone and temperatures where you are will be more mild -- and then it will be fine for them to go outside.

A wile back we were trying to assemble any good ideas of new ways to brood to make your life easier - here's the thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1096154/latest-and-greatest-ideas-for-streamlined-brooders

For me -- the idea of using puppy training pads was pretty brilliant. If anyone knows some good brooder hints and tips -- please post in that thread. Thanks!

 

[NC Chicks]

The first day I moved mine to the coop it was really hot. They were all panting, and I was really nervous. As suggested, I read everything I could find on how to keep them cool: frozen fruit,frozen water bottles, a fan, and a tray of cool water got me thru. Now that they are able to go out into the run they have shade and cool earth under the coop to cool themselves. But I understand the concern,and we are only getting Temps in the nineties.

 

[ChicKat]

Glad to hear that you 'beat the heat' -- I have a weather station that shows the heat index. Today it is 92-degrees, but heat index is 106 right now and it is only 10:20 - so it is only going to go up. Lost my best Cream Legbar hen just after she laid an egg -- and now I'm wondering how many more I will loose.

Another help for me is to hose the roofs and the ground in their runs - and to turn on a mister.....but it seems in the end that the heat is so powerful -- that it is something to try to get through as best we can.

 

[twinsmom6]

air circulation in the coop and run can really change everything.. that may be more important than anything.. lots of windows and opportunities to let the girls get some air in their feathers.. they will just bake. Like the last entry recognized this is all good stuff... but 90 or 117 need to circulate that air...

my friends who lost birds in this heat were right after egg laying as well.. so the stress of the laying and the location of the nesting boxes (isolated with poor air circulation) may be contributing.. my peeps have not started laying yet but will make sure the fans can reach in the nesting boxes.

The calcium supplementation that we give helps not only with making good strong egg shells but also is a key factor in muscle contraction and strength.. so hopefully the egg delivery can be more efficient with supplementation as well. Makes sense for our people patients

FYI- this chick in my picture-- was not bathed for heat etc.. just had to clean out her blocked exit.. saved her life probably but she was not a happy peeper