Extreme heat! Two chickens dead! Trying to save the others! HELP!

[Eggs4Sale]

I also keep the hose trickling under a tree, so they can drink really cold water and the ground stays cool and moist.

I just replaced my Goodwill sheet with a tarp this evening, then read you saying how it trapped the heat!! Guess I'll find out tomorrow afternoon. Fortunately, the tarp is for me and their feed. They hang out under the trees.

 

[kwgrid]

I tried to find the post on this thread where someone said their chickens wouldn't 'wade' in the water. The way I did my 'wading pool' was with an old kitty litter pan that's about 5 or 6 inches deep. They wouldn't go in it. I got to thinking about it and had the thought that maybe they couldn't judge the depth since the pan is all the same color. So I found a large stone that's sorta flat. It's about 8 inches long by 5 or 6 inches wide and about 4 inches tall. I put it in the middle of the pan. Voila!! The next thing I know one of the hens was standing on the stone. The water covered her feet with a tiny bit of room to spare. Gradually, each of them took a turn.

The heavy stone also helped hold the pan down because they would perch on the edge and it didn't tump over.

 

[LesGan]

Great idea with the stone in the pan. I once changed chix house flooring to sand and they would not go in......until I scattered leaves on the sand. Realized they have a visual thing going on. Funny little creatures they are. Will definately try the stone....thanks for sharing. Leslie

 

[lisahaschickens]

Nancy -

the little watering cups I have are actually hooked to a 5 gallon bucket outside the chicken area (but inside the shed, out of the sun), which we fill periodically with the hose.... so we're good

It's not as cold as fresh running water, but it's not hot sun-baked hose water either... that would be awful! Good thought, though. And we always run the hose out until we get cold water to fill the bucket

So glad that your babies are doing well and laying for you! For us today, it looks like the high is only 90! Sweet relief! I would think that you'll be cooler today too!

Tomato lady - congrats on the great-grandbaby! Very exciting

kwgrid - the rock in the water is a fantastic idea! like you said, it would keep them from dumping it when they perch and also it would give them something to stand on. I think we'll try to find a good rock today!

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

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Congrats on the new gandbaby.

I have a sun oven that I use to cook in when I don't want to heat the house up Works great.

 

[ke_ben]

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I've got plenty in my yard, come get as many as you want. The sand 'grows' them here, large and small.

 

[kwgrid]

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[Eggs4Sale]

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I'm all for a sun oven!! What is it, where can I get one, and why don't I already have one??????

 

[GopherBoyFarms]

Lisa-
Hi Neighbor!!
I hope you chickens are doing better today....we did have a cooler morning.

It's really hard on our flocks when the heat gets like it was....We have a huge fan in our coop and two large vents on both sides to keep the air moving at night, and during the day the flock free range so we set up sprinklers and once the ground is totally wet (no grass...ya know...free range chickens and all) we move the sprinkler and the chickens then go to the wet soil, shady areas and dig in to stay cool. Since most of our are "designer chickens" with fluffy butts and feathered legs and feet, or heavier breeds if I notice one that is really suffering....panting and wings totally dropped forward I will hold them with their feet in cool water untill the relax and cool down. It takes a lot of time (I did it to over 20 chickens yesterday) but you see the relief they get and I would stay there all day for my flock and dip them in cool water if they needed it.

What area are you in Lisa? We are kinda on the way to Hockinson...where the road is closed right now.

I hope you all are doing better today.


~Tiff~

 

[ericl]

Save your chickens by giving them a good soaking with the water hose, if you have a large flock. Or if you have just a very few and can catch them, dunk them in a bucket of water. This will cool them off for several hours. We do this every night in hot weather. Our chickens like it.