High Heat !!!

[Tesumph]

I have Buff Orpingtons in NY and they stand the cold really well, are BO heat hardy?

From what I know they are somewhere in the middle. They don’t suffer horribly like some but don’t thrive either. I’m getting them for the friendliness factor, but I think they will adapt.

 

[Nardo]

Good luck, it is a constant battle for maybe 100 days a year, then we can stop working quite so hard.
I think you are doing everything OK already. I only add that if you can cool off their FEET then they will stop panting.
So watering down their run is good and can you channel some water in maybe @ 5 PM (when it's at it's worst here) so that they can walk around in it?
If I can find it, I'll post a link to a guy in Phoenix AZ who has chickens in a wire enclosure in the summer. He runs water over flat pavers that they stand on and this cools them down. Let me look.
Also, IDK if this applies, but stay away from feeding corn anything right now; it makes them hotter. Even frozen corn treats are a bit risky here during the summer.
And just to make it worse - it's barely June. We still have July, August and September. Yippee.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry for your losses

If you lose any more, you may want to consider sending the body for testing just to make sure that you are not dealing with an illness instead of heat. You don't mention what part of NC you are in (Coastal plain, Piedmont, Mountain), but we have 4 lab locations across the state.

Each breed is different, but my Orpingtons do o.k. in the heat/humidity of WNC (do well in winter too). My White Plymouth Rocks seem to suffer a bit more, Barred Rocks do well though - the WPR are heavier.

You have received good suggestions from everyone. I don't give ice either, just cold water from the tap several times a day (well water). I make both dry feed and a wet mash available, chickens have shade (covered run) and fans in coop and runs.

You don't mention what they eat, but you may want to see that they are eating mostly their feed during hot weather and times of stress. Watermelon makes a fine treat for hot days, just not too much. I would also add some electrolytes to their water for a couple of days.

 

[aart]

Also, IDK if this applies, but stay away from feeding corn anything right now; it makes them hotter.

This is a bit of a myth, digesting anything creates 'heat'.
Most chicken feeds are primarily corn anyway.
But plain corn or scratch grains are low nutrition and when they are not eating much due to the heat only offering their regular balanced chicken feed is a good idea.

I've found they don't eat as much during heat waves here.
I give a dose of electrolytes every few days, always have plain water available too tho.
It really seems to help, and saved a heat stroked hen here once.
I put out large shallow pans(one is a plastic tobaggon) with some ice cubes(no water added), they will walk in them to cool their feet, sit on them, and sip the cool water as it melts. I used to add water to the ice until I swear I saw a hen suffer an 'ice cream headache' from drinking too much ice cold water too quickly.

Disclaimer: Yeah, I live in Michigan, not TX or NC, but it gets hot here too and the birds suffer for sure. Luckily the heat waves don't last too long..we just had 3 days with 100°F heat indexes.

 

[deepbluesea]

I'm sorry you lost some of your girls. That's tough. It has been nasty hot here, I know. I put frozen soda bottles in their waterers and dig a few deep-ish holes in the shade of the hedge for them to hunker down in. I also feed them a few grapes and/or slices of watermelon when I get home from work. I added electrolytes to one of their waterers and put some water in a small kiddie pool that is usually a dust bath; haven't seen them in it yet, though.

I have a misting system, but it's been so humid I haven't gotten it out. Hang in there!

 

[Nardo]

This is a bit of a myth, digesting anything creates 'heat'.
Most chicken feeds are primarily corn anyway.
But plain corn or scratch grains are low nutrition and when they are not eating much due to the heat only offering their regular balanced chicken feed is a good idea.


I used to add water to the ice until I swear I saw a hen suffer an 'ice cream headache' from drinking too much ice cold water too quickly.

Disclaimer: Yeah, I live in Michigan, not TX or NC, but it gets hot here too and the birds suffer for sure. Luckily the heat waves don't last too long..we just had 3 days with 100°F heat indexes.

Good to know. Thanks. Funny about the ice cream brain freeze. But little bird brains maybe get cold faster.

 

[aart]

Funny about the ice cream brain freeze. But little bird brains maybe get cold faster.

Have seen it happen with my dog too, before I knew better than to ever give dogs ice water to drink. Now he gets a single ice cube at a time to lick and crunch.

 

[Mimi13]

Good luck, it is a constant battle for maybe 100 days a year, then we can stop working quite so hard.
I think you are doing everything OK already. I only add that if you can cool off their FEET then they will stop panting.
So watering down their run is good and can you channel some water in maybe @ 5 PM (when it's at it's worst here) so that they can walk around in it?
If I can find it, I'll post a link to a guy in Phoenix AZ who has chickens in a wire enclosure in the summer. He runs water over flat pavers that they stand on and this cools them down. Let me look.
Also, IDK if this applies, but stay away from feeding corn anything right now; it makes them hotter. Even frozen corn treats are a bit risky here during the summer.
And just to make it worse - it's barely June. We still have July, August and September. Yippee.

This video is excellent. My chickens will not stand in water but I’ll already guarantee that they’ll stand on the bricks. Off to HD now to get this set up. Thanks for posting this.

 

[MinniesMomma]

I am also in Texas and have been trying different things to keep my birds cool. I do have two of the plastic waterers and I fill one of them half full and freeze it. At the hottest part of the day I fill the rest of it with water and put that out. The girls really seem to love it! I also freeze cake pans with water and fruit in them. The chickens will peck at them and also have learned to stand in it to help their feet cool down. Any food scraps I may have to give them also go in the freezer before serving. They have a plain old box fan at their level, and I often see them standing in front of it. I've also done the frozen milk jugs placed around the run and in front of the fan. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but I hate seeing them panting. What we won't do for our chickens!

 

[aart]

Wonders if the bricks in the water pan wold work where it's humid?
Misters are great in arid climates too, but not so much in already steamy ones.

I also freeze cake pans with water and fruit in them. The chickens will peck at them and also have learned to stand in it to help their feet cool down.

Hmmm, bigger ice cubes, without the fruit, is a good idea!!
Have froze bottles of water to put out, but didn't like having to clean them before putting back in freezer.