hot weather

[julieseggs]

i live in n calif.its starting to get very hot 110. can i use a small swamp cooler during the hot part of the day?or would this put to much damp air in there coop?they have wood chips on the floor and lots of fresh water. how else can i try to keep my girls cool? they are only about 6 months old. i try to let them free range while iam home but when gone thet stay in there run and coop

help

 

[Katy]

It's about 100 here now too. I've got just a regular fan running in their coop and I wet down an area of their run that's in the shade for them to lay in and scratch around in.

 

[Lea71]

Hi there....it's hot here too!!! Over 100 most days...bleck!

I put a small fan in the coop to circulate the air and I bring them frozen 2-liters of water. They huddle around and sit on the 2-liters to cool off. Even my Blk. Australorps, who aren't the most heat tolerant, seem to do just fine. I've also been freezing a cube of yogurt or watermelon as a treat to help cool them off. I also give them fresh water with ice...they seem to enjoy that also.

I read somewhere that installing a swamp cooler isn't a bad idea, especially if you live in a dry climate, like here in CA. I also made sure they have plenty of shade in their run. Hope this helps. Even chickens look miserable when it's hot.