Heat related death and new housing question

[okiegirl]

We have been over 100 degrees for over 40 days. It's been around 105 - 110+ the last week. Three days ago I lost my first hen, a silver laced wyandotte , but wasn't sure if it was the heat or if she was egg bound. She was in the laying nest. I've been giving them cold watermelon, changing the waterer out twice a day and bringing them fresh cold veggies. Well, yesterday I lost two more. My other wyandotte and my big hen. We called her Fancy Feet. She had the feather tufts on her feet, can't remember the breed now. Anyway.... I'm pretty sad about losing my fancy feet.

I couldn't just let my other girls die, so I brought my last four chickens in the house. We have an extra large dog crate, about 4x2.5. I put hay, a perch, food and water and they now live in the laundry room. (a barred rock, a white rock, a gold laced wyandotte and my little red hen, rhode island red.)

So, to the question. How long can they live in that little space? I know they aren't happy because they are used to living on 2 acres and can run around as much as they want. We are expected to have over 100 for the next couple weeks.

 

[tiki244]

Its best to let them out and spread their wings and dust bath everyday so they don't get *cramps*. But I amsure the can live in there for 2 weeks.
So sorry to hear about your losses

and your special Fancy Feet.

It is hard to lose a chicken and especially hard to lose a special one.

maybe a brahma? very nice chickens for personality

 

[Emily1220]

Could you put them out for excercise and to roost at night where they usually do but bring them into the laundry area like between noon and 6 when it is the hottest?????

 

[welasharon]

What kind of housing do they have? Is it a situation where you can run a sprinkler on top? I am guessing it is the daytime heat killing them? We have had heat indexes over 110 here lately. I can't imagine any hotter like your's.
sharon

 

[NoseyChickens]

I had this problem last year. I lost 8 girls all in the laying box middle of the day in the desert heat. I fully believe it was 100% due to lack of ventalation in my coop. It was simply far too hot in there. Check your ventalation. Could you possibly run a fan in our coop? We ended up comepletly rebuilding ours ( something we were planning on doing anway). Our coop now is partly open air. They are doing very well in there, even through last winter. I also spray the run down during the day to cool things down for them. It makes a world of difference. I have nt lost a single girl to the heat this year.

 

[Nicole01]

I bring all 8 of my girls in the house. I have 2 xl dog kennels with roosts in them side by side connected. I take them out every 1-2 hours either outside in the shade for free ranging or leave them inside to roam downstairs. My basement is unfinished. I clean the poop up after them asap and disinfect the floor once they go back in the kennels. We have a routine and the chickens love coming inside the house. First thing in the morning, I'll walk them out to the coop before it gets hot as well.

I'm so very sorry for your loss.

 

[okiegirl]

will the temp fluctuations be ok? we keep the house around 70 degrees because my husband works out in this and he said he doesn't care what it costs he wants to be cool when he comes home. (my daughter and I sit around in blankets, if you can believe that)

So, I should take them out in the evening and put them in the run, let them stay there at night, and bring them back in when it starts getting hot again, around 9-10. They are gonna hate me 'cause they hate to be caught. They are getting really skinny. I picked up my white rock and she weighed hardly anything.

Should I try to fatten them up while inside? what is something that will help them put some weight back on or should I just keep giving them crumbles and scratch?

Oh, and thanks for the replies.

(oh my gosh, chickens in the house are LOUD!)

 

[okiegirl]

Quote:
Their cop is about 12 x 10 and their run is about 20 x 30.

 

[welasharon]

I would worry about having that big a difference in temperatures......Is there anything you could do to modify the outside area to help keep them somewhat cooler? Are they all dying inside the coop or outside also?
Can you open the coop up more? A fan? Is the run covered? Maybe even just with a tarp?
sharon

 

[NoseyChickens]

Quote:
Scratch actually heats their bodies up. I would not recommend giving scratch at all during the summer months if you live in a very hot area.