Heat index 110 no breeze/my advice

[okiecountrygirl]

I live in north central oklahoma and it has been in triple digets for days now. I was so worried about my chickens I started to brainstorm solutions to keep them cool.
Though they are in a large covered run under trees the dont get much breeze so I rigged a fan to blow across there runs and I froze gallon jugs of water and sat in front of the fan and it cooled their area by 10-15 degrees and i also sat frozen gallon jugs of water in their runs and they sit around them.
They have smaller chicken house they go into at night 2 or 3 in each one and I put a frozen gallon jug in with them over night because the temps are still in the high eighties when I close them up at night
I do have wire mesh in the front of there houses for ventilation .
But it seems to be working so far.
I have also made them puddles of water and sat a fozen gallon jug in there also it doesnt last to long in this heat but they will stand in it and cool off.
Thanks just thought I would pass this along.

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

Okie instead of making puddles try using plastic dishpans. I keep one in each run. I get them at the dollar store. The chickens love to stand in them to cool off. I usually refill them a couple of times a day so they have cold water. You could also put the frozen water bottle in them as well.

 

[annek]

All good ideas! I need to try the frozen jug in front of the fan. I also have a large plant saucer that I put cold water in for them to stand in, they really like it. Just change a few times a day to keep clean. I put a mister on their run but so far they don't seem to like it, they hide in the coop when I turn it on!

Micki, you had the same thought as I was typing mine out! Never thought about the dish pans but since I have lots of potted plants and the wild birds always liked this one for a bath, figured I would give it a try!

 

[okiecountrygirl]

Hey I will try the dish pan with the jug thats a good idea, but it wont work for my roo he dose'nt like anything new in his run he destroys it knocks it all over the run its kinda funny to watch but I dont want to stress him in this heat so I just put the gallon jug of frozen water in there and he seems tolerate that. Thanks
I have been wanting to install a mister I have one for my horses, since they dont have much shade they hang out in the barn around them mister when its really hot.
Thank you all for your ideas I love BYC

 

[mdbokc]

Live in NE Okla County, OK, our birds love the mister. I run it from 1 PM to 5 during these hot days. A slight breeze (I would use a fan if no breeze) will move the mist and cool a large area. My run is 6 feet tall so I place the mister (hose end sprayer on 'mist' setting) near the top. It cools about 300 square feet of the run...at least that I can feel. The hens place themselves from around the edges of the mist to actually in the mist where they have a light covering of moisture on them. I also place a large pan of cool water on the ground and they will bathe like regular birds in a birdbath periodically.

Talked with a fellow from the SW, on the airplane, that said he has never lost any of his birds at work (they raise them in a juvenile correction facility for food) to heat, even at 116 degrees outside. They use mists.

 

[kipepeo]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=204359

I had posted this about a mister system I had found and I think I will try it.
I am in North Central KS at least we have had a south breeze the last couple of days.

My neighbor has lost almost 500 head of cattle in his feedlot and a big commercial lot has lost as much or more. All that nice cooler weather and then getting socked with triple digits didn't give them a chance to aclimate.

my chickens have done all right so far.. I thought the tree above the coop would provide a cooler temp in coop but not by much. Ready for the cooler temps that are to arrive sunday

 

[WestKnollAmy]

It has hit 100 here recently and I have 4 brooders of young chicks still in the barn so I put gallon jugs of frozen water in front of them also and it has helped tremendously. I have to change them out a few times a day as they melt quickly but I don't think I will lose chicks this way. Even just a fan was only blowing hot air.

 

[Bellasmom]

I live in Green Country Oklahoma. I've been putting ice on the ground for one of my hens to scratch around in and then she lays down on top of the cool ground.

We have a fan in the henhouse and I have been putting frozen bottles in there as I have another hen who refuses to come out of the house for anything. I make her free range in the evening then it's back into the henhouse!

 

[mdbokc]

I tried the frozen ice in a jug approach. Just not enough freezer space to be practical and keep up. However, I just looked in on the girls (I checked the water temp to see if the well water is still cool at the hose end sprayer set on 'mist)...there is no panting or open mouth action indicating discomfort. Before going to the mist, the girls were panting every day and not moving around. Now, they act like they did in cooler weather. We are new at this, just a season. So far, so good. Really enjoy this website and all the comments people chare.

I also discovered real quick that sunshade (50%) for gardening is entirely inadequate except for early morning and late evening. My girls need and use the fully shaded area in this heat.

 

[okiecountrygirl]

Wow!!!! the dishpan and the frozen gallon of water in it works great they love it.
BUT i will be checking out the misting system if I can swing it my girls and boys are getting one.

Thank you all for your advise,I love BYC and the GREAT members who are so willing to help.

LOVE thy chickens as you would love thyself.

PS: wondering if the old time water coolers would be alright to use in a coop or is it too much moisture?