Hot outside, how to keep my girls Cool.

[Jacquieh]

Hello,
I live in Reno, Nevada. It's desert here. I have two pullets, and they are in a chicken run that is under the porch. It's actually a ramp that was for my elderly grandfather. So it's very shady. And gets all the wind/breeze. But it was 90 degrees today and I wanted to know what things I can do to help my girls stay cool? I am going to freeze a jug of water and put it in their run. Used to do this for my bunnies. I would just appreciate any other things that might help. Ooh, I have Several water bowls/bottles for them. I only have two girls, but I have 3 different things of water in their run....I was raised in Phoenix, I know the importance of WATER
Anyways, thanks in advance.
Jacquie

 

[Mace Gill]

The frozen jug is great, but put it in a pan so they can drink the cold water. Also, watermelon straight from the fridge.

In a hot spell, I'll take a muffin pan, file it with vegetables and/berries, fill with water and freeze. Pop a couple out and they have a nice cold treat! No corn in the heat, especially no cracked or dried corn ... they generate heat in grinding it up in their gizzards.

 

[MrsAuberry00]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/5-tips-to-keeping-your-chickens-cool-this-summer.72708/

 

[chickengeorgeto]

In hot weather chickens like shade and plenty of it. They also appreciate good cool DRY dirt in which to dust bathe.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Give them a pan of water shallow enough that they can stand in it. They can cool off by standing in the cool water - if one looks unhappily hot, you can hold them with their feet in it, and they will often stop panting in about a minute (in my experience). And they learn to stand in it themselves.

There's a recent thread that went over a lot of this as well, I'll see if I can find the link.

Oh, and I've found that misters work well (I am in a hot climate with low humidity, as are you - they work best with low humidity). I use them during the day when the highs are consistently always over 95F.

- Ant Farm

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Question About Summer Heat

 

[GC-Raptor]

We had a heatwave earlier in the week. I put a shallow pan in run during the summer that they can walk in. I keep a couple of gallons of water in fridge and dump and refill several times a day during a heatwave. .
I also hung my hose on the fence and set it to spray a mist during the last heatwave, and within 15 minutes the girls were enjoying themselves. I forgot to mention, on warm nights I run a fan in the coop blowing air under roosts, not at chickens. GC

 

[Jacquieh]

Ok, I have another question. Everyone says not to give them cracked corn when it's hot. Cause it generates heat when is being digested. My question is, does that include fresh corn? Like corn on the cob? My girls love their corn on the cob? Can I give it to them when it's hot outside or is it not a good idea. My girls are still young and don't care for much. They will take a couple bites out of watermelon, but that's it. I've tried ALL sorts of fruit, and they could care less. But they LOVE CORN ON THE COB! And I feel bad when I can't give it to them. Lol....anyways thanks again. Jacquie

 

[GC-Raptor]

Yeah, corn on the cob is fine, but remember 90% of diet should be layers feed after 16 weeks or all flock feed with oyster shell or crushed limestone on the side, for maximum production and good quality eggs. GC

 

[Jacquieh]

Yeah, corn on the cob is fine, but remember 90% of diet should be layers feed after 16 weeks or all flock feed with oyster shell or crushed limestone on the side, for maximum production and good quality eggs.View attachment 1048932 GC

Thank you! I have been VERY confused about the "food"....I thought 'scratch' was food? And you could feed them that all the time. I'm not Exactly sure how old my girls are....they are around 14 to 16 weeks. I have been feeding them the "Start and Grow"....and on that back of that bag it says to feed them that until 18 weeks then the "Layena" stuff....I am out of their food and was on my way to get them some today. So should I get them the stuff that you recommend. And PLEASE, don't be shy, I am SO NEW to chickens (only had them since April ) and need advice and guidance. So if you were going to that feed store to get food for pullets around my girls age, what would you get?
And I only give them one cob every other day. I hang it up so they have entertainment.
Anyways, thank you very much. I appreciate the help I need to understand how much exactly of WHAT I'm supposed to be feeding them. ...lol....ooh I also have the black sunflower oil (or something like that ) pellets, I have been giving them those with the crumble. But they don't eat very much of it. Is that good to feed them or is that a treat too?
Jacquie