Helping chickens with the heat.

[mpgo4th]

I wanted to share what I do to help the bird beat the heat. I have shade in about half the run. At night when they go in the coop to sleep I clean out their one gallon waterer and fill it half way up. I put in in our deep freezer over night. In the morning I fill it the rest of the way up put it back in the run. That block of ice last till about 10 or 11am and the water stays cool until I get home from work. I know they are spoiled but they make me happy so I'll make them happy.

 

[redsoxs]

I do that as well. Seems to make a difference on those terribly hot days.

 

[mpgo4th]

Tomorrow is going to be high 90's with a heat index of 105. We also have high humidity.

 

[kdwag]

Us too, low 90s and humidity. Mine really had a hard day today. I liked your idea of freezing the waterer and will try that tomorrow. I'm home with mine throughout the day so I am constantly adding ice cubes and/or electrolytes to their water. I noticed an improvement in their tolerance the last time I gave them the electrolytes so I will continue that daily as long as it stays hot. I also hooked up a fan that blows in the run, however, they are scared of it, so tomorrow I need to find a better place for it so it doesn't freak them out so much. Cooler weather (80s) this weekend-just hoping it lasts a little longer this time.

 

[Chick named Lola]

I'm going to try freezing half the water, great idea!

 

[mpgo4th]

My youngest one is 6 weeks old and he loves the cold water. Every morning he drinks and drinks and drinks. Much more than if I just put cold tap water in it.

 

[MrsBachbach]

I have found my hens sometimes standing in the water when it is hot. So a shallow tub with water for them to stand in could also help. My chickens are spoiled. I had my husband run power out to the pen, so those that have to stay in the pens during hot days have fans and water. The last few years were brutal with weeks of 100 degree weather and I broke down and bought misters. Combined with the fans blowing the mist around it was heavenly. Wet, but very cool.
This year, I bought a roof coating product for the tin roofs. They get so very hot to the touch in the summer and create alot of heat. In an effort to avoid the misters I am trying this. It is elastomeric roof coating and it reflects the heat very well. I put it on the roof and side walls and now you can actually touch the tin without burning your hands. So, anyone out there with tin chicken houses or roofs may want to consider this stuff. People say it reduces their inside temps in their homes by almost 20 degrees! Now it won't reduce the outside air temp in chicken pens but it does stop the heat from building under them.

 

[Eggnog101]

I just put a few cupfuls of ice in the water, and feed them frozen fruit