Excessive heat days in Arizona

[bullmama]

I'm so sad to hear this! I'm sorry. I think feeding watermelon really has helped my flock. I also gave electrolyte in their water. I'm new to this so I can't really what is right or wrong.

My friend is coming over tomorrow with electrolytes and stuff. She also lost 7 this week- all older hens, she has 60+ chickens and one was her daughters fav rooster this heat for Tucson is extreme this week, it usually rarely breaks 110 in the summer here but it's been 115-117 all week and today the high was supposed to only be 110....the high was 112 but last night was still hot in the 90's at 11pm. They we're all fine this morning and I'm just so sad they suffered. Only thing I did different was adjusted the misters to point a smidge more away from the coop bc it was becoming a mushy mess and that minor change could've been it which kills me bc I know they suffered. I'm putting water pans out tomorrow for them as well to make sure, I don't think I could handle another loss. I only had 9 hens

 

[pjstar]

3 of my chickens in Tucson today. I had misters and ice blocks in their water, I'm just devastated. Any ideas besides excessive heat that they would've died? Was it the misters making them too wet? And what are the odds that 3 died at the same time? I'm completely heartbroken

 

[pjstar]

Sorry, you lost your girls. No, misters do not make them too wet as long as they can get away from them if needed. After I lost two of mine, I decided to open up their run with secured 1/4" hardware cloth. Now their run is 5x larger and they can forage thru veggie garden, bury themselves in cool, wet dirt and hunt and peck all day. I dump an ice block on dirt, it melts all day and they seem to prefer this to the mister. Best to you and yours

 

[pjstar]

In other words, allow them to chose and find the place that's coolest for them. They're little T-Rex survivalists, so they will. Electrolytes would work, but it's not practical for me because the water spoils too fast in this heat. I'd have to replace buckets almost daily. Best to you

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I installed a couple of micro misters in our chickens shade trees yesterday. TSC had them marked clearance from $9.99 down to $1.99! Bought 6 of them. 2 for the birds and 4 for our swine.
View media item 7893279Call your local TSC and see if they reduced them in your area.
We have spring well water. It stays consistently 72° F year round. I put a cheap filter on the garden hose to keep the build up from clogging the micro misters to quickly.

 

[13ChickenGirl]

Yes!!! I will have to check that out!! No more deaths over here but a couple have been close.

 

[pjstar]

Hi, I've tried the misty mate products over the past five years both for my horses and my back patio. I've scrapped both misting location as junk. Misty mate uses plastic mister heads which crack, leak, or clog or break and then the line breaks. I know the Home Depot version uses brass heads which seem to not clog and if they do clog, you can use vinegar to dissolve the calcium build up. I have not used their entire system but it's cheaper than Mm. That said, For the money $12.97, the Home Depot stand mister works like a charm and uses brass heads (although it does look funky). The best with whatever you decide to try.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Hi, I've tried the misty mate products over the past five years both for my horses and my back patio. I've scrapped both misting location as junk. Misty mate uses plastic mister heads which crack, leak, or clog or break and then the line breaks. I know the Home Depot version uses brass heads which seem to not clog and if they do clog, you can use vinegar to dissolve the calcium build up. I have not used their entire system but it's cheaper than Mm. That said, For the money $12.97, the Home Depot stand mister works like a charm and uses brass heads (although it does look funky). The best with whatever you decide to try.

Did you filter cartridge the feed line?

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Hi, I've tried the misty mate products over the past five years both for my horses and my back patio. I've scrapped both misting location as junk. Misty mate uses plastic mister heads which crack, leak, or clog or break and then the line breaks. I know the Home Depot version uses brass heads which seem to not clog and if they do clog, you can use vinegar to dissolve the calcium build up. I have not used their entire system but it's cheaper than Mm. That said, For the money $12.97, the Home Depot stand mister works like a charm and uses brass heads (although it does look funky). The best with whatever you decide to try.

City water or community wells all contain water that has been treated. For the most part the water contains chlorine which ages the plastic of most heads and expires them way before their time. Well water and city water both contain an assortment of iron and calcium whichh is also going to reduce the performance way before the product's time. If you expect something with the retail value the same as a 12 pack of beer to last until the end of time is something close to impossible. However, a carbon filter inline with both products, plastic or brass, will exceed the products life so much further than just plugging in a garden hose and turning on the water and expecting years of service.
The plastic head micro mister is now reduced down to $1.99 which says you money enough to buy an inexpensive filter to remove minerals and or man added chlorine to expand the life of any product.

Aside of the quality of the product. Spring water from a well is the most advantageous water to use. Since it remains consistently at 72° F 365 days a year.
I know a farmer using glycol lines refrigerating the water as it passes thru the line. Such as draft beer and cola taps in the hospitality industry. Too extreme for me. Although he is employed by Coca~cola and has access to retired equipment. I am satisfied with carbon filtered spring water. And misters on clearance for a buck ninety-nine. Bought a water timer at wally world for 20 bucks. Timed to run during the hottest time of the day..Set it and forget it. Worst early summer I can remember. Good luck with the heat wave folks!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I would use a Vitamin & Electrolytes supplement in their water such as this.....
View media item 7892841This is an all stock concentrated mix. Well worth $2.99.
I would not recommend anything we don't use. I just mixed this one up. A pack per 1 gallon of water. Then 1 oz of the mixture to a gallon of water. Makes 100 gallons. Great for heat, stress, illnesses. Tractor Supply Co. Etc.
Good luck.

It is very inexpensive so if it spoils, pour it out because 1 pack makes 128 gallons. Less than 3 dollars for 128 gallons for stress relief is tremendous bang for your buck!