Featherbrains during a heat wave

[Daniellebell1]

Y'all.

Over the past couple years of keeping chickens, I have come to have a much higher degree of respect for their intelligence. Their complex relationships and ability to survive are inspiring. BUT Y'ALL. These is a massive heat wave sitting on top of New Orleans right now, and these biddies will not accept any of my attempts to cool them off. I put a block of ice in their water dish. Not interested. I put ice cubes in a new water dish by the porch (in the shade) and put Zippy's little beak in it, like "HERE, BEBE. PLEASE DO NOT BECOME A ROTISSERIE CHICKEN." She squawks indignantly and runs away. I buy a mister. They won't go near it or near the markedly cooler wet grass nearby. Ladybird walks around with her beak open, looking like she's been under the broiler. I cannot get these dumdums to accept cooling measures.
Ladies. Seriously. Ridiculous.

 

[Mrs. K]

Try just dense shade, damp ground, and enough water. Maybe a day with some electrolytes.

Even if they hold their wings out, and are panting, and not racing around like on a cooler day, they are doing chicken things to cool down, not people things. They know more about being a chicken than we do.

Keep things as open as possible, check the shade at multiple times during the day as the sun moves. Beware of tarps that can block the breeze. I use a lot of pallets.

Ice can cause shock to their system. Just water is fine. Water, shade, damp earth they can dig in, is what they need and very little movement.Do not stress them by trying to cool them off.

Mrs K

 

[aldarita]

Such an entertaining post, I love it!
I feel you, I am in South Central TX and have done what you describe with the same results. Every year I go thru the same kind of stuff.
Chickies are panting constantly even at night because their coops don't cool off enough until way in the early morning hours. I have fans in my coops but granted, they only move the hot air around, however I want to believe that it helps even if it is just a little. All my coops have big windows so there is plenty of ventilation, I love it when we have some breeze. They all have shades (natural and store bought), I constantly dampen their runs with the garden hose so they can bathe with cool sand. I give them electrolytes in their water to help with the heat stress. They don't get ice in their water anymore because it doesn't last very long and so now I make sure the waterers are in the shade at all times.
This has been a constant battle for me every year. I do worry about them every day, especially now that the heat is worse than ever. Chickens are very resilient and they adapt. I do my best to lessen their stress the best I can.

 

[Daniellebell1]

They know more about being a chicken than we do.

I think this is one of the most important lessons of chicken-keeping. And I keep forgetting it!
Thank you for the excellent reminder

 

[BraveTurnip]

Heat wave here in Oklahoma, too. My girls (barred rock) are 8 weeks now. I'm wondering when their combs and wattles develop fully? I read they use these to expel body heat.

I keep them under the trees. We put a shallow dish of cold water in there during the hottest part of the day. They immediately start walking into it. Seems to work.

 

[WinniesHenHouse]

My dumdums are the same way. They hate the mister I tried to put in their run. I have 2 fans running from 12pm to around 7pm and the entire run has tarping over the top. 2 waterers, one on the West side and one on the East side of the run as during the day, one side of the run will be sunny. I wet down the floor of their run a few times a day and you would think the sky is falling the way they react to a single drop of water landing on their precious feathers. I feel so bad for them out there all day in the heat... hoping this heatwave will be over soon, I don't mind the high 80s but when it's 100 out I panic a little.