Extreme Heat

[ChickiKat]

I am worried about the extreme heat we are having. Heat indices in the 100-110 range. My chickers are eating and drinking well. Not laying much and they pant all the time. I have lots of shade for them. Any more good ideas to keep them as comfortable as possible????? Tks

 

[juliawitt]

I freeze water bottles and plastic milk jugs. Place them in the nest boxes. I have a small wading pool with 3 inches of water in it. Most of the girls will stand in it and cool their footies. I have a couple that don't, but they are the minority. I water down the run, so that when they take their dust baths, the dirt is cool and slightly moist. Have a vent fan in the coop and I have shaded the windows. Egg production is down, but heck, I don't want to work out in this heat...I'm sure they don't either. In my mind, this heat is reason for an egg strike.

 

[skunk1]

Hi. I have been cleaning out my freezer from food 3years old. I put the frozen squash, beet greens, apples etc (no meat) in the pen at three hour intervals during the heat of the day. My hens are laying steady. I have twenty-three layers, six chicks and two roosters, and two old bitties. Also set up a 2' x2' box fan to blow on low through the chicken wire into the coop during the day. Frozen water bottles in watering cans too. So far we haven't lost any. And it was 101 today steady nineties for a week before. They have a large outside run and have chosen to stay inside.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

I have 15-20 ideas on my blog post here:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/beat-heat-how-to-help-chickens-survive.html

I am worried about the extreme heat we are having. Heat indices in the 100-110 range. My chickers are eating and drinking well. Not laying much and they pant all the time. I have lots of shade for them. Any more good ideas to keep them as comfortable as possible????? Tks

 

[KDK1]

I have 15-20 ideas on my blog post here:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/beat-heat-how-to-help-chickens-survive.html

Mine love the mister, I have one just like that... same color too!. I have an eight head mister that I need to get hooked up real soon.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Mine love the mister, I have one just like that... same color too!. I have an eight head mister that I need to get hooked up real soon.

Wow, that's going to be a chicken water park. Fun!

 

[suki'smom]

105 here in Wisconsin and no rain in what feels like forever. I have a large dirt floor coop that houses 24 hens, 1 rooster, 8 pullets, 3 cockerels, and 17 four week old chicks. I rake poop every day then spray the floor with water to moisten it. I keep the windows open and make sure they have plenty of fresh, cool water. This has worked well for me. The birds dig in the cool, moist dirt and bathe in it. They look dirty and homely but they are cool and the hens are laying steadily and everyone has good appetites. My birds also have access to a large 50x50 that is well shaded by trees and bushes. So far I havent lost any although they are all cold hardy breeds and not really meant for the heat.

 

[Messy]

It is 100 degrees here in Indiana. We are having a horrible drought. The corn fields are suffering and I see super high grocery and feed prices in our futures. I keep pools (little kid hard plastic pools) out in the pens. I water down the ground every single day about twice. I mist the birds all a few times a day with the hose if they appear to be panting a lot. We have a rooster that spends a lot of time swimming with the ducks LOL I water the ground to take care of bird poop and odors, but it helps keep the birds cool too.

 

[Lizard Feet]

here in Indiana also....hot hot hot!! Just tried this!!

 

[Messy]

Is that fruit and greens frozen in a block of water?