Good tips that you use to keep chickens cool in the summer when it is 100°

[Shadrach]

Can a domestic chicken handle the same environment as their ancestors? Could it be like comparing a wolf to a Chihuahua? The breeds I have seem so much better adapted to cold temperatures. I wonder if some of their heat tolerance abilities have been bred out.

Not all though- I see their jungle instincts whenever I watch them slink into the forest. They definitely know where to find the cooler spots.

I don't know.
I looked after Marans in what is considered hot temperatures and they were fine. Also Catalana del Pratts which are a large domestic breed.

There needs to be a distinction drawn between bred out and suppressed. Lots of chickens due to breeding and keeping arrangements have had many natural instincts suppressed but my experience has been that provide the right environment and many of these basic instincts become obvious. The environment dicates the behaviour has been a major stumbling block for behavioural studies for many years.

It would on the face of it look like evolution has made a terrible mistake with chickens. What was evolution thinking when it equiped birds that live in high temperatures and high humidity with feathers of all things.

However, what often gets overlooked is what those feathers can do. We, humans naturally look at all those feathers and think of down and warmth. The fact is they help thhe chicken keep cool as well. There are little feather type growth called filoplums and the orientation of the main feathers can be changed by the filoplums. This means that a chicken can arrange their feathers so that air circulates below the primary feathers. The primary feathers act as partial reflectors while air moves underneath them. Insulation works in both directions of heat transfer.
A uncomfotably hot chickens will hold its wings away from it's body to increase the air flow past the internal organs which otherwise are kept warm and protected by the wings.

There is a further problem of the physical effects of heat and cold. Chickens going into hypothermic shock just go quiet and die. We don't necessarily see any signs of distress. The cold hardy test seems to be based more around what does and doesn't kill the chicken and not much to do with comfort levels.
There is also the factor that chickens like most other species adapt to their environment to a greater or lesser degree. Breed land race chickens in a cold environment and the progeny tend to fare better than the parents.

 

[TXKukupantsKoop]

We (meaning myself and the 10 girls) have a routine since the 100+ degree temps started a month ago. Coop is closed after they come out in the morning. Run is completely shaded. Two waterers with ice jugs in them and one waterer with electrolytes in it. They tend to drink that a lot. I keep 3 plastic tubs in there as wading pools. If it's really - hot like 103+ - they get frozen melon rinds, ice cubes filled with peas and carrots, electrolyte mash with ice cubes, or something like that. Frozen jugs of water are a favorite to lay next to or stand on. They were hatched in Cameron which isn't far from me so I know their line is probably pretty acclimated to heat. If I look out and they're walking around during the hottest part of the day I know they're doing fine. So spoiled! ❤❤❤❤

 

[Shadrach]

The best tip for keeping chickens cool in high temperatures is understanding a few basics about chickens.
Chickens don't have sweat glands. We (humans) can drink cool or hot drinks (most hot countries drink hot drinks rather than cold) and the additions of extra water in out systems allows us to sweat and in sweating heat is removed from our bodies along with the water. It has absolutley nothing to do with the temperature of the water you drink. It just feels nicer.
You can pour water into a chicken all day long and it won't help keep them cool because they don't sweat.
I'm quite sure the chickens appreciate the water melon, maybe even the ice cubes if they help with contact heat transfer (heat will always move to a colder sink) but as an overall strategy for keeping chickens cool it doesn't work very well.
Chickens are essentially jungle creatures. Jungles tend to be hot and humid; an average temperature of 90 F is common with peaks well over 100 F.

The larger the difference between a chickens core temperature and it's surrounding ambient temperature dictates the rate at which a chicken, or any creature or object for that matter transfers heat from itself to the environment. The bigger the temperature difference, the faster the flow of heat from hot to cold.

Keeping cool is about the rate at which one can transfer heat. If for example there is only two degrees difference between the ambient temperature and the hot body trying to keep cool, the hot body still stays hot, just not quite as hot as it was with no heat transfer.
To keep properly cool the heat transfer rate needs to be high and in this case constant.

Misting systems work, not because they use water, but because they lower the ambient temperature.

One of natures ways of lowering the ambient temperature is shade.
This is how to keep chickens cool. Provide high quality shade preferably with good air flow.

 

[Shadrach]

I can appreciate your scientific response. I'm guessing many of us are new to this and only want our flocks to thrive and be comfortable and we don't live in the jungle. I think your intro of "oh well, here goes" was telling us that you're tired of ppl that don't have your knowledge. That being said, when they stand in tubs of water, lay up against jugs of frozen water, that isn't helpful? Mine have almost 100% shade all day.

Yup, fair comment. The first bit wasn't necessary. I've removed it.

Yes, direct contact with a cold body works for as long as one can keep that cold body at a temperature below that of the chicken in this case.
The problem in my view is maintaining a cold sink usually requires work/energy to be expended. Ice has to be frozen. That these days is quite expensive given energy costs. Sprinkler systems need electricity usually although there are some gravity fed systems.

My apolgies for the bad intro.

 

[Jaime918]

I've been storing jugs of water in the fridge to give in the hottest parts of the day,

mine love frozen blueberries and frozen watermelon (I got a deal at the grocery store for several personal size for $1 each so I froze them in halves) They like to stand on them too.

I run misters and fans which misters obviously isn't ideal in already humid areas.

I also plan to purchase a kiddie pool sometime this week and see if they are willing to dip their feet, probably not but worth a shot.

 

[sdm111]

 

[kerbotx]

I also plan to purchase a kiddie pool sometime this week and see if they are willing to dip their feet, probably not but worth a shot.

My birds will only get in the pool if I give them bricks to stand on - since it's in the shade, i guess the cool water makes for cool bricks, so it kinda works!

 

[aart]

Deep all day shade is the best place.
Don't have that here.....so:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/
Yeah, I'm not in one of the 'hot' states,
but temps in the 90's with high humidity can be brutal.
I truly wish I could use a mister here, but that won't work.

 

[3KillerBs]

My article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

VENTILATION!

And shade.

And hydration.

I give electrolytes once a week -- in a separate waterer -- when it's over 90F.

I also keep breeds suited to my climate and trust them to acclimate. I prefer to buy from Ideal since they're in Texas and thus their breeder flocks are automatically selected for heat tolerance.

 

[texsuze]

Another BYC'er in the Lone Star State. I have a broody hen now, in the barn coop. One day everyone will be in the cooler, outside coop. Fan on broody, synthetic ice packs (tucked inside little pockets that I made from t-shirt material) placed next to her, wet hand towels placed on the roost she's laying against. AM/PM "assisted excursions" to the shade and watered-down dirt, and to eat/drink.

My 8 y.o. Dominique hen stays in the shady sand underneath the outside coop, resting. I make sure she has moist sand. A shady hedge and complete barn access helps but it was 81F in the barn at 8:30 am today.

Deep shade and moist dirt are the lifesavers for my girls so far. Also, unless essential, I don't bother them during the day--the less intervention and 'fussing', the better.