Hot chickens

[Estella1235]

I live in Georgia and in the summer it gets suuuuuuuper hot. I don’t know how to keep my chickens cool. I tried putting a little kitty pool in there but they just drank the water out of them. So then I bought them a sprinkler and they didn’t like it. They just stayed in their coop whenever I turned it on plus it got everything wet. I put ice in their water sometimes and they have shade but they still pant and hold their wings away from their body. Any ideas to keep them cool?

 

[Pullet Press]

Electrolyte solution (keeping them hydrated), for starters. Maybe freeze some corn on the cob or a head of cabbage and give that to them. I have a blog post on that, but it's basically what I just told you.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Lots of deep shade.
Some watermelon or cantaloupe can help keep their electrolytes in balance which helps too.

@aart freezes blocks of ice and gives those in a shallow tub. As it melts they get cool water for hours and can stand in it if they choose.

 

[CluckerFamily]

On hot days I usually add electrolytes in their water. Instead of ice in their water, I actually freeze some fruit in a container with water. My flock likes this treat! If I have a spare watermelon (that I have in the fridge), I will put that out for them too.

 

[Pullet Press]

Ooh! Ooh! *Raises hand* They like old frozen smoothies and popsicles (preferably those cheap ones that come in those little plastic pouches)!

 

[aart]

@aart freezes blocks of ice and gives those in a shallow tub. As it melts they get cool water for hours and can stand in it if they choose.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-hot-weather-spiel.75893/

 

[Sunshine_Chick]

I am in FL understand that temperature of a million degrees Kelvin! Though they do not like the sprinkler I'm sure they enjoy the cool ground when you turn it off. Mine like to hang under a clump of azaleas so I hose the bushes & the ground. Ice in water, electrolytes (once a week in extreme heat). I've been mixing their crumbles with water into a "mush" & storing in the fridge. Then they have a nice cool meal when I feed it to them. Are you able to use a fan? All watery fruits & veg - mine like cukes in addition to melons. You may need to change their water 2-3 times a day when its super hot. I have 3 chickens that free range & I have 3 different 1 gallon waterers in different locations. I freeze water bottles & can fit 2 in each container & then top with water. I wash the bottles (I'm a little anal) and place in a bag before I put in the freezer (I only have the frig freezer & my food is in there) to refreeze. Maybe overkill, but I'm weird about contamination that way!

 

[Estella1235]

I am in FL understand that temperature of a million degrees Kelvin! Though they do not like the sprinkler I'm sure they enjoy the cool ground when you turn it off. Mine like to hang under a clump of azaleas so I hose the bushes & the ground. Ice in water, electrolytes (once a week in extreme heat). I've been mixing their crumbles with water into a "mush" & storing in the fridge. Then they have a nice cool meal when I feed it to them. Are you able to use a fan? All watery fruits & veg - mine like cukes in addition to melons. You may need to change their water 2-3 times a day when its super hot. I have 3 chickens that free range & I have 3 different 1 gallon waterers in different locations. I freeze water bottles & can fit 2 in each container & then top with water. I wash the bottles (I'm a little anal) and place in a bag before I put in the freezer (I only have the frig freezer & my food is in there) to refreeze. Maybe overkill, but I'm weird about contamination that way!

That’s a lot of good ideas! Thank you!!

 

[Sunshine_Chick]

That’s a lot of good ideas! Thank you!!

You are quite welcome, neighbor!

 

[IamRainey]

I'm in Los Angeles and deal with this in the summer too.

First of all, make sure they have LOTS of water. You can cool it down with ice cubes.

Print out a 14-day weather forecast. You can see which days you're going to need ice and build up a store of it in advance. You can also get hourly reports so you know when to get out there with it and when you can relax. Mostly, you're prepared for which strategies to employ and you won't get caught off guard or unsullied.

It may be too late to locate your coop & run where there's adequate shade (ALL chicken enclosures should be where there's adequate shade. Apart from cooling it protects them from swooping predators.) but even if you missed that when you set up you can still use shade cloth to give them shade. I use double thicknesses of 85% density (it comes in different weaves!). Make sure to extend them out from the eaves to make as much shade as possible. This makes a huge difference and makes all my other temporary solutions workable.

I set up box fans and run them when we get to 90˚s. Position them so you get a nice airflow but make sure your chickens can also avoid it if they prefer.

Sometimes I hose down a portion of the yard a few times a day. The chickens take off when the hose comes out but then they head for those wet patches as soon as I hang the hose back up. I've read that they cool from their feet so I hope that helps cool them down. It also seems to produce an abundant supply of new bugs 'cause they're all over those wet patches pecking and scratching and having a ball.

Give them fruits and veggies with high water content like tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, watermelon and berries. I keep some Trader Joe's frozen blueberries for those hot days. You can freeze all of the above too. I think you need to avoid oranges. I've read that citrus isn't good for them. I have no idea why that's so but I don't offer them citrus.

In the worst heat I get 5 pound ice blocks and put them in the draft of the box fans. It's cheap "air conditioning" and, tho the blocks will melt faster in the air draft, they'll still last several hours and that gets us through the worst heat.