Help With The Summer Heat!!

[Sjbuff]

I have been getting concerned, as this summer is starting to get hotter and hotter, on how to keep my chickens cool. Part of the coop is shaded for most of the day and I check to make sure they have plenty of water every morning. However, I work Monday- Friday, 8-4:30 so I cant continuously change it or add ice to it through out the day. Any suggestions on other things I could do?!
Thank you!!!

 

[ashlierami]

I have been getting concerned, as this summer is starting to get hotter and hotter, on how to keep my chickens cool. Part of the coop is shaded for most of the day and I check to make sure they have plenty of water every morning. However, I work Monday- Friday, 8-4:30 so I cant continuously change it or add ice to it through out the day. Any suggestions on other things I could do?!
Thank you!!!

I freeze water in their waterer and in the morning I add some water to it and set it out. It melts thru the day and stays cold for the most part, or at least until I get home. I also have a large tub with soil in it. I wet that and keep it moist. My roos get in it and dust thru the day. If they have good shade and a nice air flow even if it's hot that is key.

 

[GRB73]

I have a similar situation. I freeze big ice "cubes" in large cottage cheese containers. These I put in their waterer. I put extra cubes in an aluminum pan. These melt throughout the day for additional cool water. This and shade gets them through the heat of the day. As soon as I get home, I let them into the yard. They run under the bushes and dig shallow holes to cool themselves off.

 

[aart]

Make huge ice blocks and put them in shallow pans.
Here is one of several I use.
They will wade in the water or sit/stand on the ice block and sip the cool water as it melts.
Got the idea of ice blocks recently from someone who uses cake pans,
I used a bin and some tupperwares.
That big(9x14x2") block shown in the toboggan lasted all day long at 88°F.
I have several other large shallow pans, I rinse them each night.

 

[Abriana]

Frozen watermelon, ice in their water, jugs of ice frozen overnight are all methods I do and plan to use

 

[BreanneRN]

I gave mine one of those stand up patio misters, but I have it hanging upside down from the coop fence so it won't be knocked over and the mist is at their level... I turn it off at night so it doesn't get too muddy.

 

[Abriana]

I gave mine one of those stand up patio misters, but I have it hanging upside down from the coop fence so it won't be knocked over and the mist is at their level... I turn it off at night so it doesn't get too muddy.

Ooh that’s a great idea!

 

[aart]

I gave mine one of those stand up patio misters, but I have it hanging upside down from the coop fence so it won't be knocked over and the mist is at their level... I turn it off at night so it doesn't get too muddy.

Curious, where are you located?
Misters work great in dry climates, not so much in humid ones.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, then it's always there!

 

[BreanneRN]

Central California, and yes, we have a "dry heat" going on here, up into the 100's... And no, I wouldn't be using this in the midwest or humid areas. Works well here though. I also hang shade cloth around it in a corner of the coop and some of the mist from the mister settles into the mesh and can help cool any breeze that comes through.. Next, I will add a solar fan to the set up. But that's a bigger investment.

 

[aart]

Central California, and yes, we have a "dry heat" going on here, up into the 100's... And no, I wouldn't be using this in the midwest or humid areas. Works well here though.

Experienced misters in AZ, was amazed at the affect...really wish we could use them here....of course the humidity is half the misery.