extreme heat

[babychickens321]

it is BOILING this week and next and we are in the middle of a heat wave. the temperature is as high as 35 degrees
my chickens are panting ALOT and they have shade and trees to go under and cold water aswell and another really shallow bowl with water to cool their feet in (they never cool their feet in it and drink from it instead and I have to pick them up and put their feet in the bowl otherwise they wont do it. I fed them strawberries and cherries and grapes and watermelon but what else do I do to cool them down? And in the night, my hens are panting and whenever I see them, they are always awake from the heat. what do I do so that they sleep easier and dont pant and stuff as much? or do I just leave them panting because they already have water available. I go in the middle of the night to give them watermelon. I tried frozen fruits but they peck at it and drop it and only eat it if I put it in the water and take it out.

 

[babychickens321]

Does your coop get hotter than the outside environment? If yes, you need to add lots of ventilation and, if possible, shade.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

If not, and you are always giving them shade, ventilation, access to the ground where they can dig down to cooler layers beneath the surface, and plenty of fresh, cool water then there really isn't a lot more you can do.

Misters work VERY well in dry heat and less well (or not at all), in humid heat.

thanks! its mainly in the night time im worried because they stay up panting. they sleep in the conservatory because we need to build another coop as the old one broke in a storm. so you can imagine how hot it gets especially with all the glass doors. curtains and blinds would help during the day but they aren't there at all in the day and windows are open in the day. windows are closed at night except a teensy bit incase something gets in. I really need to open the windows at night because there is only a little bit of ventilation. would a fox be able to jump in through an open window. and I also dont open the window a lot because im paranoid that if I open it something will be able to slip their hands through the gap and pull the window wide open. there's also a washing up stand thing that a fox could use as an extra push to get in

 

[3KillerBs]

thanks! its mainly in the night time im worried because they stay up panting. they sleep in the conservatory because we need to build another coop as the old one broke in a storm. so you can imagine how hot it gets especially with all the glass doors. curtains and blinds would help during the day but they aren't there at all in the day and windows are open in the day. windows are closed at night except a teensy bit incase something gets in. I really need to open the windows at night because there is only a little bit of ventilation. would a fox be able to jump in through an open window. and I also dont open the window a lot because im paranoid that if I open it something will be able to slip their hands through the gap and pull the window wide open. there's also a washing up stand thing that a fox could use as an extra push to get in

They need to be sleeping in a cool place.

Can you make temporary wire screens to put into the windows so you can leave them open?

Can you find another place to put them at night that is secure, but cooler?

 

[3KillerBs]

How would you make wire screens?
I have some wire things but the holes are large I think its like 2 inches. There is no other place unfortunately

I'd get hardware cloth or, at the least, chicken wire, cut it to size, and fasten it over the windows to whatever structure the windows are mounted in.

 

[Tram]

Looks like Windows you would find in a home. If it is that sealed, I would put a window AC unit it it and set it to 80.
But from the looks of it, you do not have enough ventilation.

 

[ChickyWhicky]

They need to be sleeping in a cool place.

Can you make temporary wire screens to put into the windows so you can leave them open?

Can you find another place to put them at night that is secure, but cooler?

Agreed. Sounds like you are roasting your birds at night. And YES, a fox (or other predators) can & will get into their enclosure if there is an opening (like an open window).

Freeze some scratch or treats into ice cubes and let your birds have at those during the day. Will provide a cold treat.

 

[babychickens321]

Sounds like you are roasting your birds at night.

will they die if I keep them like that. it does get pretty stuffy in there in the morning

And YES, a fox (or other predators) can & will get into their enclosure if there is an opening (like an open window).

at one side of the conservatory, there is a fence but there is a little gap between it
is it okay if I open those windows because there's only a narrow space between the fence and the conservatory but the window opening are right level with the fence. ill attach a picture and also so you can see how much I should open it

 

[igorsMistress]

A block of ice, they’ll sip it and stand on it as it melts, and give them a puddle in the dirt. At night get a spot with afternoon shade and loose soil good and wet, they’ll bathe in it to cool off. A fan may help, but it might just feel like they’re standing in front of a hair dryer.

 

[Ccort]

Get a fan and put a bowl of water with lots of ice behind the fan and it will blow cool air in the coop - or if you can find a cooling mister fan that is an added bonus. check amazon! Its called a "misting fan" on amazon and its about 50 bucks. but it will for sure cool them off at night

But in humid temps or areas, won't that just add to the humidity?

 

[Tram]

But in humid temps or areas, won't that just add to the humidity?

Yes, there is a point when the air will not take in the mist. I have one of these in my coop and when it is close to 40%, I don't bother turning the mister on.

https://growerssolution.com/products/temperature-humidity-gauge-mth?_pos=1&_psq=humid&_ss=e&_v=1.0