Hot HOT HOOOOTTTTTTT Chickens - - - too hot what do I do ? ?

[math ace]

My chickens were born in Dec 09. This is their first summer. It has been over 90 the last couple of days with high humidity.

The poor girls are soooo HOT they are just panting. They have plenty of water - - - I have some that stays in the shade. I am leaving the coop door open for circulation.
They just sit in the shade in the coop and PANT. I have made some extra shade in the run area by leaning wood fence against the fence.

Last week they were digging big holes in the coop to cool off in.

I hope they will adjust.

They are so miserable - - - I don't know what else to do. I just went to check on them - - - they are all on the roost panting. IT is still 95 degrees outside and it is 8:30 at night.

 

[tigerkitten45]

Could try a fan in the coop, and add ice cubes to their water frequently..........

 

[Gonzo]

What breeds do you have? When its hot here, I put ice in their water. I also offer cold treats like watermelon, and I'll freeze some yogurt for them. Also might want to offer something with electrolites in it for them. I also have a fan on mine in the summer. But do offer lots of cold water and treats, and cut back or eliminate the scratch grains, it causes their body temp to rise. Good Luck!

 

[Dora'smom]

You can dip their legs and bottoms in cool water, briefly, or you can use plastic water bottles filled 3/4 full of water to make ice, and keep those in the shade in their enclosure. The ice bottles might help keep them cooler. I suppose a mister might help, too.

 

[Gonzo]

Anither thing that works is to freeze water in 2 liter bottles, and toss the in the coop, or the shaded part where the girls are... They will sit, lay or snuggle with it to cool off.

 

[yotetrapper]

It's only just turning on summer, unless you plan on doing the suggestions listed above ALL summer long, I'd not start. I'd just make sure they have shade, and fresh water, and they should be fine, and get adjusted to it. I lost one rooster due to heat once, but it reached 114 that day.... that was about 20 above our normal highs....

 

[Shannon's Chix]

gonzo&hispeeps :

Anither thing that works is to freeze water in 2 liter bottles, and toss the in the coop, or the shaded part where the girls are... They will sit, lay or snuggle with it to cool off.

This works pretty well for my chickens too, plus I put those frozen cold packs into their water containers about mid morning or so...​

 

[TheReidHomestead]

You could put a sprinkler on near them. It might cool the ambiant temp a bit.

 

[KybraBoss]

we regularly have weeks of high 30'c and over 40'c including last year two days of 48'c with the night time temp only dropping to 42...

we kept the chooks cool by running a perfarated hose type lawn watering strip over the top of the run and running in off and on every 20 minutes. With what little wind and the natural convection around the temps in the the runs was probably at least 10 degrees cooler than the surrounds.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
My DH is going to love this one . . .. .The things I ask that man to do for me

Please, keep the ideas coming. I am not home all day - - - so I won't be able to do the ice thing. Typically, I leave for work before the chickens get up

I agree with the previous poster - - - I don't want to start anything that I won't be doing all summer long .
It is only going to get hotter