Heat, and free ranging

[svh]

We are in a heat wave here, 90 to 95 degrees, with no relief in sight. My free range hens are displaying symptoms of heat stress, gaping beaks, spread wings, low activity.

My question is : Would it be better to keep them in the coop/run, where I can provide fans, and controlled deep shade, or should I let them free range as usual, and find there own deep shade ? I live in a heavily wooded area, and they seem to disappear for most of the day, coming back in the afternoon looking, and acting heat stressed.

I have fans running in the coop, and run, but they seem to prefer going out and about, abandoning the relative comfort I try to provide.

Do they know what is better for themselves, or should I intervene ?

 

[aart]

Might try confining to run, at least for a few days.

This has worked very well to keep heat stress/stroke at bay:

I give a dose of Sav-a-Chick electrolytes/vitamins about once a week during heat waves.
It really seems to help....started this after they saved a heat stroked hen once.
Can mix up a smaller amount, just wrap the packet tight and store in a dry cool place.
Always have plain water available too.

BIG(9x14x2") chunks of ice last all day for wading, sitting, and sipping.
Much more useful to the chickens than frozen foods and treats.

Make space in your freezer!

 

[NatJ]

I live in a heavily wooded area, and they seem to disappear for most of the day, coming back in the afternoon looking, and acting heat stressed.

Are you able to walk out and see where they are during the day, and how they look?

They might be hanging out somewhere cool, and get hot coming home--in which case they're better off continuing that way.

Or they might be too hot all day but just refuse to stay inside, in which case they would be better off locked in.

I personally would assume they know best, but there's a lot to be said for actually walking out and seeing!

I've seen hens snuggled down in a damp dustbath in the shade looking fine, then they come out and promptly look too hot. So how they arrive at the coop in the evening may not reflect how they spent the day.

You could also try measuring temperature inside the coop, and then measuring temperature outside in the woods. Measure the air temperature at chicken height, and measure the actual floor/ground temperature too. If the air and ground in the woods are cooler than inside the coop, then they're better off ranging.

 

[svh]

@aart, I'm heading to Rural King tomorrow, and will pick up some electrolytes, and a larger tub for a big block of ice ..... Luckily I have plenty of freezer space !

@NatJ, thanks for the ideas ! I will don my pyrethrin suit, and do some research ..... It is so DRY, and HOT, I don't really expect to find any cooler spots, than the heavily shaded run, though. The vegetation around the area is extremely thick, and loaded with ticks and chiggers.

I did try to find them several days ago, to no avail ! Even rattling the metal lid to the treat bin, and shaking the food container didn't bring them out !!!

I lost Betty, my only black sex link, a week ago, to what I thought was a predator, but now I'm not so sure it wasn't the heat. I can smell something dead out by the garden, but can't seem to find what it is .....

I think I will keep them confined for a few days, and see if they're any more comfortable. I'll tell you, they are NOT happy at all right now, being stuck in the coop/run !!!

 

[NatJ]

Even if you can't find them, just checking with a thermometer could be helpful--we do things to make it cooler, but sometimes nature does better, and sometimes nature does NOT do it better.

I did try to find them several days ago, to no avail ! Even rattling the metal lid to the treat bin, and shaking the food container didn't bring them out !!!

Hmm. Maybe they found somewhere so much cooler they didn't want to move, or maybe they were so far away they didn't hear