Help!!!Hot Chickens?

[PotterWatch]

Can someone tell me what to do with the frozen water bottles? Otherwise I will just be putting them in the coop tomorrow and hoping the chickens just hang out near them....

 

[Iceblink]

Sorry I can't help with the water bottle thing for sure, I know that rabbit people put them in rabbit cages and the rabbits lie next to them. The coolness and condensation helps, or so I've heard.

Since my coop is moveable (tractor) I spray down the ground before I move the coop onto it, they seem to like it.

Also, the other day I accidently soaked their food while I was filling their water, and they ran over and gobbled it up, so I've started putting a seperate pan of wetted down food and they always eat it first. I figure if nothing else, they're getting extra fluids.

One other thing I've noticed, my black star and my BR seem to be much hotter than my BO. Hmmm, maybe when I'm planning my future flock color/heat might be a consideration.....Delawares, here I come!

 

[Ericasl]

I am putting the frozen bottles in my water to keep it nice and cold.

 

[PotterWatch]

Well, I just laid the bottles on their sides in the shavings and the chicks snuggled up to them when they wanted. That coupled with electrolytes in their water and a watermelon end to peck and and stand on... they at least made it through the day fine. I hate this hot weather!

 

[rubysmom]

What are electrolytes and where do you get them?

 

[LeeLeesFarm]

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98 degrees in the shade today, in Santa Clarita, CA ..... YUCK !!!
I want to move to the BEACH !!!!!!!!!!!!

My chickens are panting all day, the last couple days, too .... even at night when they go in to bed .... and mine sleep in a rabbit hutch with one entire side just wired ... no wall .... it is hot !!!!

I will be trying the water bottle trick .... didn't think of that.

Also, I wet the grass, under the moveable run/small tractor that we have .... I soak the ground so their feet get cool and wet .... my d'uccle seems fine with that and loves the bugs that appear as the soaking forces the bugs out of the ground, but my baby silkie (just almost 3 mos old) doesn't seem to really know what to do with wet feet .....

Is it Fall yet ??


Lee


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[PotterWatch]

Electrolyes are just certain nutrients that are lost when you are really hot and plain water doesn't help you regain that loss. I bought a powdered electrolyte mix from my feed store that can be used for a types of farm stock. I just put a tiny pinch of it in their water bottle before I fill it. Kind of like how people drink things like gatorade when they are really hot rather than just plain water.