How are your chickens doing in the 100 degree heat?

[Blondie]

I see how hot it is out west - over 100 degrees! Who out there is dealing with that? And my main question is: how are the chickens handling it?

 

[Napalongtail]

Mine don't like it, but they are fine. I change there water to fresh cold around 2 when it starts getting really hot. Making sure everyone has shade and then I put up a great big lawn sprinkler so there's a mist in the air. The ducks really like the sprinkler and their pools. The show birds get electrolytes in their water and my sons fuzzy wuzzy silkies get to live in the garden and dust bathe in the mornings watering spots. I'm still a nervous ninny though and walk the coops most of the day keeping an eye on everyone.

 

[Southern28Chick]

At least out west they don't have humidity at 100%!!! We're dyin in NC. Thankfully, it's only going to be in the mid 90's this week.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:
Humidity yes, rain no! I don't remember the last time it rained over here outside of Charlotte. I've emptied my last rain barrel and the garden is drying up


I have noticed that they aren't straying too far from the coop and run while they are free ranging. They are hanging out more along the tree-line than out in the middle of the garden. Both have their good and bad points. Garden=hawks and dogs Tree-line=foxes, raccoons, coyotes. I'm really thinking of getting a baby monitor to put out there!!

 

[kcfuerst]

It is sooooo hot!! Supposed to be 108° today. It's only 8:30 in the morning and it's already 80°.

The coop got to 105° yesterday afternoon with all the doors and windows open and the fan blowing. I have a mister system in the run which helps out a little. But the girls are moving a little slower and doing a lot of panting. I've been putting ice in their water but it melts as fast as I put it in.

I surely hope they all survive.

The A/C in the house broke down too! Got up to 90° in the house yesterday. Repairman coming this morning to fix that problem.

 

[ChrystalGail]

We hit 119 yesterday and all my 6 weekers & 4 weekers are doing very well. I give them frozen bottles (milk or soda type) to lay against and they seem to do fine. I also freeze part of thier drinking water and it will stay cool fo about half the day. Good luck!

 

[ThunderStruck]

Well, i think they are doing o.k. When i built their coop i made it so that they could get under it for some good shade, it was built 28 inches off of the ground. I have 90% shade cloth over the entire run. Also i put in a mister system for em around the entire run. I have a small tub ( big tray out of an ice chest that is 14 x 14 and about 5 in deep for them to wade in as well). One thing that i do is i freeze plastic bottles of water and put them in the tub and their waterer. yesterday i made em up a frozen treat of a mixture of plain yogurt, cottage cheese, tomato, and some layer feed and gave it to em about 2:00 or so. they LOVED it! It got so hot yesterday that i took to actually hosing em down with the garden hose lol.

Our hi temp here at an official weather station that is about a mile away said our hi was 117 but out at my coup my thermometer said 119 ..

..so far today at 9:00 we are at 98.

Forrest

 

[Mulemom]

I was wondering if they would like a mist going thru the run. So it sounds like that's ok for 6 week olds? We are taking the mules and going up to the mountains for a few days, where it's cooler. I wish I could take the chicks too. I have a neighbor that is going to come over and let them in and out for me, and make sure water and feed are full. Do you think If I take the hose and put it on mist and just leave it hanging at the end of the run, that would be ok? They won't catch cold or anything would they? Also, should I put electrolites in their water? I haven't done that since they were three or four days old. Does that help? I love the idea of ice bottles for them to sit or lay on! I'm putting some in the freezer now!

 

[AZChick]

Well I am also in Arizona, in the Queen Creek area. I have misters up, foot baths and sprinklers on a timer set up to go water down shade cloth 4 time during the day. I am also feeding them very cold fruit in the late afternoon for hydration and cooling and have elctrolytes in the water. So far all is well but we are really hot.

 

[JacobsRewardFarm]

So far, halleluia, we have not had our usual high temps. We have had flooding rains instead this year. Last year was a horrible drought, but THIS year my critters are being fitted for floaties, and learning the back stroke.

Seriously, it has been ok. Just lots of mud. My morning and evening chores take longer and are much more of a work out for me. The hoofed critters are clearly put out by it, but I don't think the chickens have given it a single thought. I let the girls out in the morning, and as long as it's not pouring, they comb the pasture for goodies. When it starts raining, everybody comes in to the barn, under fans, and waits it out. The chickens sit on the donkey's backs and just hang out.

The rain seems to be letting up in the forecast, and also the temperatures are predicted to rise to their normal 90's range. I hate the heat. The worst drawback to living in Texas, for me.

I'll be keeping an eye on everybody when the heat hits. My alpacas suffer the worst, so I'll be working to keep them extra cool.

Thanks for all the great heat-busting tips!

Cindy T.
Jacob's Reward Farm