Extreme Heat

[ADozenGirlz]

We have had 100+ days for over a week, very hot. Feels like I am being cooked when I go outside, so of course I worry about my chickies.

I positioned my brooder in front of an open door to a furnace room which receives some of the AC from the window unit on the living side of the furnace room, so the babies are staying cool while in the brooder. When I put them in an enclosure inside the run for a little while today, I poured water all over the ground and added some extra branches with many leaves for added shade. I also add ice to their water bowls.

The big birds seem to be doing okay, though panting quite a lot. An area of their run, about 8x4, never seems to get any sun because of the trees and the position of the shed (coop) The large birds stay there all the time, but each time I check on them, the temp seems at least 15 degrees lower than everywhere else. I do have a kiddie pool in my run. It is essential to change the water everyday by early afternoon because it heats up very quickly. Some of the birds will stand in the cool water on occasion, not too much. My opington roo dunks his entire head in to drink and seems to really love the water running down his face and neck.

Stephanie, it sounds like you're doing lots of things help them out, which is great. Providing shade and fresh water are the two most critical things you can do. There are lots of others though and you can read about many of them in this link: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/beat-heat-how-to-help-chickens-survive.html

 

[Messy]

Sure you do.


Please don't mislead people like this. It only ends up hurting the birds.

Excuse you? Sure I do? Whatever.

At those temperatures, you may wish to consider dunking the chickens up to their necks in the cool but not cold kiddie pool a couple times a day. That will bring their body temperatures down and help them pant less for a little while (the mister can't accomplish the same thing). It can actually be a life saving measure.

Oh I never thought about that. I have always tried to make sure they stay dry and was even hesitant when I first started misting them. I could not dunk them to their necks in the kiddie pool though. It simply isn't deep enough. The pool in the pen they are in is shallow enough that their feet and legs are about all that gets wet. The smallest ducks are in there and I don't let it get deep (no rain forever helps that unfortunately). Out of all the chickens, we only have one that wades into the pool and we try to keep him out. The others have never even shown an interest. We started using the tips from earlier in this thread about frozen ice with greens and fruit in it. The panting has slowed considerably just using that.
I will absolutely keep your idea in mind though! I can find ways to dip them in cool water. I just pray that the rest of this season is more bearable than the start has been. We've had numerous friends lose part of their flock from the heat, so we try to stay on top of it all day long.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Excuse you? Sure I do? Whatever.

Oh I never thought about that. I have always tried to make sure they stay dry and was even hesitant when I first started misting them. I could not dunk them to their necks in the kiddie pool though. It simply isn't deep enough. The pool in the pen they are in is shallow enough that their feet and legs are about all that gets wet. The smallest ducks are in there and I don't let it get deep (no rain forever helps that unfortunately). Out of all the chickens, we only have one that wades into the pool and we try to keep him out. The others have never even shown an interest. We started using the tips from earlier in this thread about frozen ice with greens and fruit in it. The panting has slowed considerably just using that.
I will absolutely keep your idea in mind though! I can find ways to dip them in cool water. I just pray that the rest of this season is more bearable than the start has been. We've had numerous friends lose part of their flock from the heat, so we try to stay on top of it all day long.

I keep a five gallon bucket near my coops for dunking purposes. It sounds like your chickens are in good shape, keep up the good work and I hope the heat breaks for you very soon!

 

[Chris09]

You clearly are missing the point and it's no use trying to assist you in seeing the illogic in your position. And the word is "meet," their energy needs, not "meat." Meat is a type of protein. Be sure not to over-feed your chickens meat or scratch.
I, for one, am certainly relieved to have missed your 30 other bloated posts relative to meeting chickens' energy needs. Move on, dude. "A little information is a dangerous thing."

LOL, We have come down to criticize spelling now?

You might want to read more information by people that have a little knowledge in poultry nutrition, I would recommend books and publications by people that have a PhD in poultry/livestock nutrition or even the university publications.

There is a book called Poultry Production in Hot Climates by Nuhad Joseph Darghir, it's a good book that talks a bit on feeding to prevent heat stress in broilers, it also talks about "Dual Feeding" where you lower the amount of protein during hot periods and "Food Withdrawal" where you would take the feed away during the hottest part of the day and you only feed during the cooler parts.

Chris

 

[ADozenGirlz]

LOL, We have come down to criticize spelling now?

You might want to read more information by people that have a little knowledge in poultry nutrition, I would recommend books and publications by people that have a PhD in poultry/livestock nutrition or even the university publications.

There is a book called Poultry Production in Hot Climates by Nuhad Joseph Darghir, it's a good book that talks a bit on feeding to prevent heat stress in broilers, it also talks about "Dual Feeding" where you lower the amount of protein during hot periods and "Food Withdrawal" where you would take the feed away during the hottest part of the day and you only feed during the cooler parts.

Chris

It's less spelling than grammar, which is telling and the last person I'd take literary recommendations from is you, Chris.

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Quote: Call me cruel if ya want but I'm hosing mine down 2x a day--they don't like it at the time but appreciate the after-effects as it's been 102-107 here for a week!

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Call me cruel if ya want but I'm hosing mine down 2x a day--they don't like it at the time but appreciate the after-effects as it's been 102-107 here for a week!

They might take the dunking a little bit better. Of course, that would require catching them. LOL!

 

[NovaAman]

I keep a sled filled with water in the shade. It is funny how many of my girls will stand in it to cool off. At first, none would use it. I put a few birds in, held on to them so their feet would still be in the water, then let them stand on their own. Of course they took off, then shortly after came back on their own and tentatively stepped in. All it took was a few birds to learn it, and the other see it, and then BAM! They all do it. LOL.

ALSO, I will hang frozen gallon jugs of water in the coops at night close by the roosts, but not so close they can't get up. I put them in the meaties coops also. With the fans blowing past those hang ice blocks, it helps cool a bit. I have also removed nearly all the shavings from my main coop, and will hose off the inside to cool it down. Of course, this also means that I have to scrape poop every morning, but, what ever. It makes it a lot nicer for the girls to have their coop seriously cooled off before they get closed in for the night. Maybe I am risking their health doing this, but I don't think so much...

 

[ADozenGirlz]

I keep a sled filled with water in the shade. It is funny how many of my girls will stand in it to cool off. At first, none would use it. I put a few birds in, held on to them so their feet would still be in the water, then let them stand on their own. Of course they took off, then shortly after came back on their own and tentatively stepped in. All it took was a few birds to learn it, and the other see it, and then BAM! They all do it. LOL.

ALSO, I will hang frozen gallon jugs of water in the coops at night close by the roosts, but not so close they can't get up. I put them in the meaties coops also. With the fans blowing past those hang ice blocks, it helps cool a bit. I have also removed nearly all the shavings from my main coop, and will hose off the inside to cool it down. Of course, this also means that I have to scrape poop every morning, but, what ever. It makes it a lot nicer for the girls to have their coop seriously cooled off before they get closed in for the night. Maybe I am risking their health doing this, but I don't think so much...

I LOVE the sled idea! I'm wondering if my chickens would go for it when they thumb their noses at a wading pool. Hmmm. We're going to find out!

 

[Stephanie739]

Stephanie, it sounds like you're doing lots of things help them out, which is great. Providing shade and fresh water are the two most critical things you can do. There are lots of others though and you can read about many of them in this link: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/beat-heat-how-to-help-chickens-survive.html

Thanks for this post. I didn't realize that panting and wings held out from the body was cause for concern. I just thought it was a normal response to heat, like sweating. I think I will buy a sprinkler today if I can find one at low cost.

My cat was panting in a way yesterday that concerned me. I immediately brought her into the AC, but she wanted back out soon after.