Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

To help keep your chickens cool, I have this video.

Those are all great ways to help keep your chooks hydrated and cool!

I'm so sorry you lost your beloved head hen.

I also try to give them a 'cool zone' either in the coop or outside in the shade. I freeze soda bottles full of water ( fill them almost full, squeeze them a bit and cap tight - this gives the bottle 'space' to expand as the ice freezes without rupturing the bottle) I then wrap the frozen bottle with an old hand towel or pillow case (to act as a mild insulator and to absorb the condensation), and put it in an old paper sack (to keep it semi-clean so you can refreeze later) I then partially bury these in either a nest box or their dust bath area, or a corner of the coop in the litter. You can then take a hen who seems heat stressed and set her next to it. (the 'insulation' of both the hand towel and a bit of bedding will keep her from getting too chilled, but it will be a nice cool spot for them to hang out.) I will also put shallow dished of cool water with ice in them, they can wade in it to cool off, as well. Since I also have ducks, first thing in the morning before goin to work, when it will be hot, I put big chinks of ice in the duck bath water - I also have small coolers ( 2 gal, capacity) that have nipple drinkers on them that I put huge chunks of ice in, as well - that water stays cool all day - which is a god send since I work f/t.) When it is really miserable - they definitely use the 'cooled' dust bath more than other spots, too, for dust bathing.

@Ponypoor & @RoyalChick also use fans (as do I), but will hang a wet or a frozen towel near the fans to help with evaporative cooling. We have been so close to 100% humidity here that the evaporative cooling is a non-starter - but having the fan blow over a frozen thing will help, especially if it is in a semi-contained space (i.e. as opposed to trying to cool the outdoors!)

I hope you are able to keep them cool enough in this horrible heat!

 

[LhickenChicken]

@ValarieF it would be very nice if you could post again! We've been missing you. I personally would love to see some pics of you're lovely chooks!

 

[Ponypoor]

Silk and Sir Cuckoo did(in Silk's case) and does (in Sir Cuckoo's case) try to mate with my hand.

I generally discourage my young males from having any physical contact or with me befriending them.

It’s one thing for a 5lb chicken to be amorous, but a 1000lb colt is another story! I learnt long ago that young colts need work and discipline and no playing with - I used to play catch with the foals but they would get too frisky when they got too big.

Same thing with my Roos, I am discouraging them from coming into my office and begging for treats and sleeping on my lap. Of course
This means no-one is not allowed in there pullet or Roo. Can’t play favourites.

The only ones allowed in are Sophia with her chicks and my nieces hens.

 

[bgmathteach]

I talked to my dad about getting a fan. Need it to be small and battery powered. And cheap.
I'm gonna see if I can get it by August. It's the worst month of the year. And of COURSE its my birth month, so I can't have a party until November or something because of how hot it is.

@ValerieF, are you okay?

Maybe you could ask for a battery powered fan as part of your birthday gifts? The one RC showed me last year has worked very well, as I need battery-powered, also. However, I have 2, so one is 'working' while the other is charging. It works well for me.

 

[Ponypoor]

@ValarieF it would be very nice if you could post again! We've been missing you. I personally would love to see some pics of you're lovely chooks!

@Pastel The Rooster
You spelt Val’s name wrong that is why you couldn’t find her id. It’s valarief

 

[Ponypoor]

Maybe you could ask for a battery powered fan as part of your birthday gifts? The one RC showed me last year has worked very well, as I need battery-powered, also. However, I have 2, so one is 'working' while the other is charging. It works well for me.

Is that the misting one?

 

[bgmathteach]

Definitely need at least 2 roos

 

[bgmathteach]

She's one of the tiniest hens, and hard feathered. She can't cover more than about 8!

Doesn't mean SHE won't think she should have more! Unfortunately, that would end up being a very poor hatch rate if she did have too many - rotating them in and out of the heat zone. I won't let my DC have more than 6 eggs for that very reason - though they would happily attempt to hatch a dozen!

 

[bgmathteach]

Is that the misting one?

No, It is so humid here that I did not get the misting feature. It is this one. On low it will last 24-36 hours on a full charge. On medium it will last about 15 hours. So, I put one out first thing in the morning & turn it one. Leave it all day (on real hot days, on medium), and let it run through the first half of the night - and it 'dies' overnight. Meanwhile, the other is charging and goes out first thing the next morning. Great for the coop with a couple of my broody girls.

I have a larger one that I put in the run in a shady spot. That one only lasts 12-15 hours on the lower end ( it has a dial speed as opposed to a low/med/high). I bring it in and charge it overnight - goes back out in the run the next morning (if it is going to be hot)

 

[notabitail]

Not sure about the cockerel, though probably. How old is it? That will make a big difference.

As far as breed - I'm slightly better than @RoyalChick , because I know that it is

Spoiler: My proclamation

a beautiful sliver laced chicken

14 weeks. And my Mom is hoping it is a pullet. Apparently the Certified Cockerel tried mating that one, maybe it was a fight?