I tried a little wading pool for my 6 week-old dual purpose chicks. I filled a wide, long, shallow tub with 2" of water and threw a handful of fresh clover, grass, and their favorite garden greens in the middle. I didn't know chicks liked to play in the water so much... they not only figured out that they could cool themselves by wading in it (and drinking it too), but they also jumped in and started squawking at me every time I approached the run, hoping for more treats. I added a cup of ice to it every couple hours to cool it, but not enough to make it shockingly cold. Since they like to drink from it I emptied and refilled it often, and they seemed to enjoy a little ice in their regular waterer too. They loved their chilled watermelon but I try to only give it once per heat spell, I know I felt crappy as a kid after drinking tons of cold sugary drinks instead of water and then going out in the heat.
Good tips that you use to keep chickens cool in the summer when it is 100°
- Thread starter DatCampG
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My Very First 6 Chickens
*~* Livin', Lovin', Learnin' *~*
How did everyone do through all that humidity? Thats crazy! You have a lot of chickens too, correct? Do they free range during the heat? Good Luck!
U_Stormcrow
Crossing the Road
They all did well - it's something I look for in my project birds. Yes they free range - but during the worst of the day, they all move to deep shade (or deep shade near a water bucket) and either dust bathe or nap in dust bathing pits.How did everyone do through all that humidity? Thats crazy! You have a lot of chickens too, correct? Do they free range during the heat? Good Luck!
I don't have either the ability or the inclination to pamper delicate animals so I'm also looking for the ability to deal with the conditions in my environment.
In spite of lots of pop-up canopies, shady trees, raised gardens, Brite Tap Rubbermaid ice cubed waterers, slow sprinkler waterer, frozen and/or moisture-filled produce, etc etc etc, yet we still can't stop hens from deciding to lay eggs during the hottest part of heatwave days!!!
Pics of our canopied, verdant, and shady backyard for the hens
Canopy over a chicken sand-bath bed -- stays shady in summer and dry during rain
Two years in a row during a humid July heatwave we lost one Dominique each year to heatstroke while laying an egg. This was our original trio of Dom chicks
Our last Dominique at 5 yrs old now survives each year because she was never a good egg-layer and manages to escape egg-laying during our hot summers. She wisely lays a few eggs in the cooler Spring months, never goes broody, and waits until the next Spring before laying a few eggs again. She's also a hefty 7.5 lbs so I don't know how she's outlived the other two Dominiques that weighed a lot less. Guess it's because she's smart enough to avoid heatstroke by not laying eggs in summer?!
We also have Silkies that will go broody at the drop of a dime at all times of the year but during hot and humid summers we keep the coop door shut so they can't brood and deteriorate sitting in an empty nestbox (we have no roos so we don't need broody hens of any kind). After being shut out of the coop during daylight hours the broody Silkies aren't too happy about it but at least they interact somewhat normally with the other hens and aren't deteriorating sitting idly in a nestbox during our hellish humid summers.
Pics of our canopied, verdant, and shady backyard for the hens
Canopy over a chicken sand-bath bed -- stays shady in summer and dry during rain
Two years in a row during a humid July heatwave we lost one Dominique each year to heatstroke while laying an egg. This was our original trio of Dom chicks
Our last Dominique at 5 yrs old now survives each year because she was never a good egg-layer and manages to escape egg-laying during our hot summers. She wisely lays a few eggs in the cooler Spring months, never goes broody, and waits until the next Spring before laying a few eggs again. She's also a hefty 7.5 lbs so I don't know how she's outlived the other two Dominiques that weighed a lot less. Guess it's because she's smart enough to avoid heatstroke by not laying eggs in summer?!
We also have Silkies that will go broody at the drop of a dime at all times of the year but during hot and humid summers we keep the coop door shut so they can't brood and deteriorate sitting in an empty nestbox (we have no roos so we don't need broody hens of any kind). After being shut out of the coop during daylight hours the broody Silkies aren't too happy about it but at least they interact somewhat normally with the other hens and aren't deteriorating sitting idly in a nestbox during our hellish humid summers.
Can you vent your nestboxes so that heat can't build up and it's no hotter inside the nests than anywhere else?
U_Stormcrow
Crossing the Road
If you have an infiinite number of chicks, at an infinite number of keyboards, for an infinite number of years, one of them would have eventually typed out the complete works of Shakespeare. If Windows hadn't crashed centuries ago during a forced upgrade/reboot cycle.
Best laugh I had all day. Thanks!
EIEIO Funny Farm
Songster
I’m in S Texas. It’s a cool 98 degrees today, but last week was a killer. Heat index was 110.
I put a misting system up and several fans blowing on them It cooled the run about 10 degrees. Also put electrolytes in water and gave watermelon and cantaloupe.
Hens are only laying every other day mostly. I guess it’s harder for them in the heat.
TXKukupantsKoop
Songster
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! ❤❤❤❤
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