Today was about 99 and tomorrow will feel like 105. Live in Fort Worth Texas so we are about to start 100 degree days for the next 4 months lol. Do you make electrolytes water daily for your flock or is that too much? Once a week?
Electrolytes on a super hot day?
- Thread starter dbounds10
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I am in Houston.
My birds get fresh clean water at least twice a day.
No special water mixes.
Brooks_
!!Florida Man!!
Electrolytes can help during extreme temps. No more than once a week and always have plain water available.
- Thread starter
- #4
Do you ever give electrolyte? Can’t hurt once in a while correct?
No I do not.
Once a week sound be fine.
This is what I do.
Once a week in temps over 90F in a separate waterer with fresh water in their normal waterer.
EddieSalita
Songster
It's not uncommon to get 110 where I am in summer. I usually electrolytes those days. I also use a misting system iunder a shady tree which makes the biggest difference imo. They spend pretty much the whole peak of the day under there. I also throw out some frozen berries, peas or brewers spent grain if they start panting. But when it's that hot and you're stuck in a feather jacket. Every bit counts I suppose.
Yes, it’s fine to give. You can find homemade electrolyte recipes on here. I think @WthrLady has a recipe.
Use electrolytes for sick chickens, for stressed chickens. Extreme heat is a stressor.
Use 1x per week or similar, but not daily.
Always offer plain water at same time so they can choose.
Always remove electrolyte water within 24 hours, possibly sooner in extreme heat bc it’s a perfect microbial incubator. Of course chickens drink and eat some pretty gross (microbial diverse) things, but even electrolyte packets indicate the same: remove by 24 hours.
Other ways to help chickens in heat:
1. Shade - this can come from physical objects like shade cloth or a propped scrap piece of plywood or old picnic table. Can also come from a living plant screen or trees/bushes. We have planted a variety of things on the south side of our run, and can recommend using “birdhouse gourd” bc of fast growth and big leaves, but we have also used hyacinth bean vine. We grow it on the outside of the run so chickens don’t kill the plants and grow it up the fence.
2. Trays with large ice that melts and they can walk in the tray to cool their feet. Use a cake pan or something to make large ice block.
3. Mix feed with water, then add larger ice cubes to melt. This is something I do bc it gets the chickens to eat and drink at same time. The egg production goes down in hotter weather bc they hide in the shade and don’t drink a lot of water. So, when our run is fully shaded by 2 pm, I’ll provide wet feed with ice cubes and they run for the treat, and enjoy anything I throw on top such as berries or seeds.
4. Wet down an area bc they will often scratch out a hollow and lay in it as it is cooler.
Good luck with the heat.
Use electrolytes for sick chickens, for stressed chickens. Extreme heat is a stressor.
Use 1x per week or similar, but not daily.
Always offer plain water at same time so they can choose.
Always remove electrolyte water within 24 hours, possibly sooner in extreme heat bc it’s a perfect microbial incubator. Of course chickens drink and eat some pretty gross (microbial diverse) things, but even electrolyte packets indicate the same: remove by 24 hours.
Other ways to help chickens in heat:
1. Shade - this can come from physical objects like shade cloth or a propped scrap piece of plywood or old picnic table. Can also come from a living plant screen or trees/bushes. We have planted a variety of things on the south side of our run, and can recommend using “birdhouse gourd” bc of fast growth and big leaves, but we have also used hyacinth bean vine. We grow it on the outside of the run so chickens don’t kill the plants and grow it up the fence.
2. Trays with large ice that melts and they can walk in the tray to cool their feet. Use a cake pan or something to make large ice block.
3. Mix feed with water, then add larger ice cubes to melt. This is something I do bc it gets the chickens to eat and drink at same time. The egg production goes down in hotter weather bc they hide in the shade and don’t drink a lot of water. So, when our run is fully shaded by 2 pm, I’ll provide wet feed with ice cubes and they run for the treat, and enjoy anything I throw on top such as berries or seeds.
4. Wet down an area bc they will often scratch out a hollow and lay in it as it is cooler.
Good luck with the heat.
Misters are reportedly wonderful in dry climates. Not so great in humid climates.
I remember being at the zoo on a 95F day, going through the fogger, and finding that it actually made things worse.
But where they work they work WELL.
EddieSalita
Songster
For sure. I live in the sub tropics and agree. But 95 isn't terribly hot. I find that when temps get much over 100, the relative humidity tends to drop away enough to make them effective. Even a few degrees is helpful at that point.Misters are reportedly wonderful in dry climates. Not so great in humid climates.
I remember being at the zoo on a 95F day, going through the fogger, and finding that it actually made things worse.
But where they work they work WELL.
The rules of relative humidity are quantifiable. Temperature and humidity are inversely proportional. As temperature increases, relative humidity decreases. Thus the air will become effectively drier.... or more accurately, able to hold more water. So basically the hotter it gets, the better they work. The water temp and breeze matters too. But my head hurts and thermodynamics is hard
Relative humidity chart:
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