How do chickens hold up to the 3 didgit degrees weather?? Is a fan safe for them?

[valschicksrus]

I have read some of the breeds do well in winter, but how about summer? I noticed them panting even in the shade. I have a fan on for the chicks but they can move away from it. I have dampened the ground for them when its pretty hot.

Any comments out there?

 

[Judy]

They are in some distress from the heat when they pant and hold their wings away from their body. Next comes drinking so much water the poop turns watery. Some chickens die from heat every year. 100 degrees is definitely on the hot side for them. I run a fan all summer, as many on here do. Lots of folks put ice in their drinking water, and there are several other things people do. Shade and breeze are a necessity. Keeping the ground moist is a good approach. Some chickens like milk jugs of ice lying around to lie near.

If you are in a dry climate, a desert type area, you might want to look into a swamp cooler -- basically a fan blowing through a box of wet straw or wet burlap.

 

[sumi]

Hello and welcome to BYC

flockwatcher gave you some good advice. Good luck!

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC. Fans are your best bet, shade. I have box fans in the pens and smaller fans inside the coops. I dont recommend dampening the ground, you want to keep ground as dry as possible. Unseen critters thrive in warm/moist soil.

 

[liz9910]

I also would recommend fans to help them stay cool.

 

[Marty1876]

We use fans for indoor locked chickens. I myself like to allow my flock to wander during the hotest hours. They tend to prefer tree shade, and nice dirt baths. I'm not above trimming feathers, as it is often over 105 here in the summer, for 2-3 monthes (it does just only get into the upper 90s somedays), and its very humid. If you have no breeze, I'd use a nice box fan, and offer them cool water around 2 pm, when the heat is getting maxed.

If your in a building, consider spraying the roof with water, or setting straw on the top, to insulate from the suns baking effect. Old blankets taked on roofs for the summer and soaked at noon work nicely also.

Good luck!

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Hi and from Ohio. So glad to have you aboard.

 

[valschicksrus]

Great advise out there, thankyou all. So far the box fan seems to be doing the trick, they do have tree shade and usually a breeze going thru the kennel.
Yes, Kennel. I am in the drawing stage of building the new coop. Reading up on that as well.

 

[Back2MyRoots]

Welcome from Auburn, Alabama!

I freeze bottles of water for them to "snuggle" with, add ice to their water and freeze fruits and veggies for the girls, all in an effort to keep the temp down. It's been over 100 here the last 3 days!

 

[Kim95037]

I got a couple of computer fans and put them up by the ventilations holes and put them on a timer. When it gets really hot I make sure I turn it on for them. Lots of water available and shade is BIG.