Heat wave! Help!

[katie_3487]

Where do you live?
If it's a dry desert type area, misters can help.

Electrolytes and huge ice blocks are the best tools I've found for where I live.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

I live somewhere VERY HUMID

 

[igorsMistress]

We have had several five-or-more-day heat waves where I live as well, and this is our first year for chickens. They’ve done OK, and we did what everyone else suggested here — frozen watermelon, tops of strawberries, cut up bruised peaches, the shallow water bath, although they didn’t really get the idea of that. The last thing we did was purchase this bucket mister, which sits on top of a bucket of cold water or even a bucket of ice without power or a hose. Our coop is too far away from our house to do either of those. The battery that fits most power tools runs for about three hours: https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-O...jJEDQSSYV7tw9OLI_cRoC8HgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I have one of these on order for my flock since I don’t have a way to set up misters. How do you like it?

 

[AmyMon]

I have one of these on order for my flock since I don’t have a way to set up misters. How do you like it?

They seem to really like it. They stand in front of it to get cool but it’s not enough water to get them very wet. One of the farmers in our area suggested it. Plus it keeps the floor of the run sprayed down. We figured we could use it in other ways too. It’s very quiet and sits in top of a five gallon bucket. Our run is almost completely in the shade by mid-morning so that helps.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Soak the area they will be hangin' in the shade tonight if you can. I also have a mister and use it. I put a sheet over the area where the nesting boxes are. I hang it above the boxes so the breeze can go between the sheet and outside wall of coop. I run the sprinklers for a second time around 2:30 p.m. I have several watering stations to follow the shade. Umm these girls aren't spoiled at all.

 

[igorsMistress]

They seem to really like it. They stand in front of it to get cool but it’s not enough water to get them very wet. One of the farmers in our area suggested it. Plus it keeps the floor of the run sprayed down. We figured we could use it in other ways too. It’s very quiet and sits in top of a five gallon bucket. Our run is almost completely in the shade by mid-morning so that helps.

Thanks, I’m glad I ordered it then. I’ve used misters before and they did seem to help but I was limited for a fan to where there’s electricity available. I like the portability of this option.

 

[DebinCR]

Does it help to put a feeder and waterer in the shade? That way they don't have to walk out into the sun to get them.


A lazier method: chicken feed plus cold water, no extra ingredients. Every chicken I've seen loves it that way too.

I mix the previous day's leftover feed 9if there is any)with water & minced veggies to make a cool mash - they love it!

 

[sdm111]

We had more days than I would like that were 100+ degrees here. I kept a 36" industrial fan running under the lean-to, kept their waterers sitting in the fans air flow and had several plastic trays with 1" high sides that I kept filled with cool water for them to stand in under the lean-to. I also put electrolytes in one of the buckets once a day to help with hydration. No one had issues with overheating.

Something to note as others have seen, when it gets hot your chickens will eat less. This is actually very normal. What is happening is that their body is slowing down processes that raise their internal body temperature. Digesting is one of these processes that causes their internal temperature to rise so when a chicken is hot their digestion process is slowed so it doesn't raise their internal temperature. That's why in the winter chickens eat more so they can raise their internal temperature through digesting more food.

This can be broken down a little farther to corn products specifically. Don't feed corn in the summer.cirn heats them up due to the work rhe gizzard needs to do to break it down. On the flip side corn is a good warmer in the winter for the same reasons

 

[Skydive Chicken]

from august 30th (tomorrow) to September 4th there is suppose to be a huge heat wave where I live. It is suppose to get to 108 degrees (Fahrenheit) which is concerning for my chickens. They have adequate shade but I’m still very concerned. Any recommendations?

I live in southern AZ and it’s often hot for my chickens. They need water to cool themselves through their feet. A small shallow kiddie pool or even just shallow large bowls with the water often refreshed works great. If they have enough water to stand in when they are hot they won’t get heat stroke.
Frozen ice bottles in the coop is nice too.

 

[Ila88]

I freeze 2 liter pop bottles full of water and put them in the coop at night. I call them chicken air conditioners.

 

[maryhbrock]

from august 30th (tomorrow) to September 4th there is suppose to be a huge heat wave where I live. It is suppose to get to 108 degrees (Fahrenheit) which is concerning for my chickens. They have adequate shade but I’m still very concerned. Any recommendations?

I'm in SoCal, and today is supposed to be the hottest of a long heat wave. I use all of these suggestions...but I bought a stand mister that I can move more easily, and I placed a commercial fan behind it so that it moves the misted air through the run. I've had the string misters in the past, and they do a great job, but I find they leak even when turned off and the sand in the run was constantly wet. And if I can I let the gals free range, knowing they'll find the coolest spot for comfort.