Helping Beat The Summer Heat

[duckinnut]

Lots of shade, a misting area, and block ice not cubes in their waterer and frozen fruit treats. The local supermarket you can buy a bag of frozen strawberries for .99 cents. Lots of ventilation in the coop too as I insulated the roof bays to shield any heat transferred down from the roof. Apply common sense too, during heat spells provide a place if they chose to bath. Check them during the heat of the day to make sure nobody is in distress and dip them in cool water(not cold) to bring their temp down.

 

[McButterpants]

I am also using a 3 gallon waterer, I fill it with Sav a Chik electrolytes and then insert 1 or 2 frozen plastic water bottles into the waterer- neck down - I remove the tops from the frozen bottles so they melt within the waterer thereby not displacing too much volume.

 

[Prareedawn]

We took one of those kiddie sand boxes shaped like a turtle and thats in the pen. Its on an angle so when we put a small amount to water one side doesnt have any but they can walk into the water at their own will. They seem to enjoy standing in it! I just put some water bottles in the fridge so thanks for that idea!!!It was over 100 here and our highs for the next 10 days are all above 90

 

[crchickens]

I just went out and added weed block over the top of my small temporary run that I built. We are going to have a shade cover over our big run when it is finished, but for now, this gives them room to roam, and they have shade. They were quite content after I added the weed block.

 

[Nicole01]

Fan secured in coop(our fan is pointed at the roost. Shade, natural shading is the best, watermelon, cool water to cool their feet off, sprinkler, hosing down the coop/run, inside the run. You can freeze water in an empty milk gallon jug, but make sure you leave enough room for expanding.

Good luck! I had this issue and this year I decided this year to free range from morning until night. They are still cranky and noisy even though they are running free.

 

[CariLynn]

I too am very very worried about my chickens! I have the frozen water bottles I rotate every few hours, ice in their elecrolyte water, a fan going in the main yard then two small battery operated fans going in the small yard and coop. Going to run to the store today for more D batteries for the smaller fans. Also have lots of shade from all the trees but still, my poor rooster is downright miserable and panting hard but he won't let me near him so keeping a very close eye on him...he did realize there is ice water and was drinking that so hopefully it will help them all.

 

[wcarlock]

The mister i bought at TSC is 6ft for $9.95 and it uses very little water. I barely turn the hose on, the mist is very fine.

 

[Dutch552]

When you say electrolytes, are we talking Gatorade or pedialite type stuff?

The stuff I use is called Save-A-Chick and I get it from the local TSC. It is a small packet of powder that you mix with a gallon of water that includes similar electrolytes that you would find in gatorade or pedialyte. It just heps replenish the essential chemicals in their bodies that they lose much faster under times of stress such as extreme heat. You can buy the stuff in large 1lb cans from vet suppliers online.

 

[chickerama10004]

A good way to keep them cool is in our coop we have instalation for hot sumer dayys and cool winterdays in fl it gets hot they do love watermelon when we get a bad water melon we give it to our chikens you can also ask a water melon truck if he has and bad water melons not rotted out but just not sweet!!!

 

[chickerama10004]

if you are looking for another way to keep them cool instalation