Faverolles in the heat, SC?

[Godiva]

I was wondering how your faverolles handle the summer heat? It gets really hot and humid here and I find that my orpingtons and large cochins really struggle in the heat. I am hoping that the faverolles tolerate it reasonably well... any input folks? I am going to be watching to see how my RIR do this summer, it will be their first...

 

[ranchhand]

My RIR does fine in the heat and humidity here, but the others get miserable, even in the shade. I usually set up a box fan for them on the lousy days here! In other words, all of July and August and then some. We are 15 miles inland, whereabouts are you?

Central SC is much hotter/colder than the coast.

I can't say about the faverolles, but my cochins don't like the wet heat.

 

[Godiva]

I am near York SC, quite a bit further inland Ranchhand. I do have fans running 24/7 in the summer otherwise I think I would have lost most of my chickens last year... I found the box fans weren't enough so I got those other stronger fans. I had three of those running all the time in the coop and a few box fans too. I am waiting for a shade tree to grow (only got planted last fall!) and am not sure how we will handle this summer. I really hope it is not too harsh, I find summer time is a LOT of work here trying to keep my chooks alive in the heat...

 

[ranchhand]

Oh boy, ya'll get hotter than we do. And colder, too! I have been known to put ice in a bucket and let the fan blow across it, but that is short term only.

Other than shade and moving air, I don't know. Sometimes it helps to build a roof of sorts over the area until the tree grows. Covering the coop as well, so it gets shaded. Hopefully someone will have more and better ideas.

 

[geareduplyn]

Turn'em out they'll find a cool place.

 

[Godiva]

If I turn them out I wouldn't have to worry about keeping them cool because they wouldn't last more than a few days with all the predators here! I know they could find lovely shady cool spots in the forest, problem is there seem to be 10 predators for each chicken from coyotes, racoons, skunks, dogs, hawks, owls, possums snakes etc etc. I let them out when I have the time to stand guard otherwise no way. THeir runs are shaded by the forest but the coop bakes in the hot hot late afternoon sun... still waiting for that tree to grow big enough to make a difference.