How do I help my chickens in Excessive HEAT?

[Hollywood Chickens]

Don't bother with a fan, I got one for my chickens and they are afraid of it!

 

[TeamChaos]

I've been putting ice chunks in the galvanized waterers to keep the water cold and hopefully to make the metal sweat and cool some of the air surrounding it. I have one fan blowing into the coop, one fan sucking hot air out. I keep melons cold in the spring and split it up throughout the day; I've also been known to give them ice cream or yogurt I've stuck in the freezer. The latest addition to beat the heat is kind of a weird one- I've taken to cooling the sandbox. I pull the plastic bin that holds sand/dirt for bathing into the cool shade of the barn; maybe you could try some sealed ice packs under a plastic bin filled with sand and see if the ladies want to flop in it.

 

[rancher hicks]

You could put large plastic tupper ware containers in the freezer and put the big bricks of ice in the waterers. The large chucks last longer than cubes. The bigger the better.

Wishing you the best
Rancher

 

[rigagirl]

I add water to some the holes that my chickens dig to dust themselves in. They love playing in the puddles and drink from them. They could care less that the buckets are clean and have fresh water. Plus i was wondering why not cheap plastic fans are the metal ones better?

 

[Mountain Sunshine]

Quote:
That's what we do! We have a few large things of water in different shady spots around the yard. We freeze 2 liter bottles or larger plastic bottles and put them in the big tubs of water. It keeps the water cold just about all day. Then at night I collect the bottles and refreeze them for the next day.

 

[buzymom13]

We had some 90 plus days recently with HIGH humidity...we froze water in soda bottles and milk jugs... placed the milk jugs around the coop so that the chicks could sit on them or around them and put the water bottles in the bedding so they could keep cool....we placed a few frozen soda bottles in the ducks pool too... Then wash them off with hose in the morning...bring them in...wash them and refreeze them and keep rotating. Also frozen treats and lots of ice in water...My chickens run for cover if it rains or if they get misted so that wasn't an option to help them...

Hope it helps...

 

[darrellmv]

Hi,
I am new to the site, but need some help.
A little background;
My pens are 16x16x8' tall with siding enclosing 8' of the s. side, all of the west side, and 8' on the north. I have 12' fiberglass roofing , with th remainder of the pens wire covered, sides and top. I have automatic waters, misters, and when the heat is extreme I run sprinklers beside the pens. I live in the Colorado River Valley in Arizona and we do have some extreme heat. On three different occaisions, I have checked the birds in the morning, and during the day, 12-1 pm, and gone back in the evening to find several chickens down. I believe this is due to the heat and am at a loss for what to do next. Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks

 

[rungirl]

We freeze 2 liter bottles or larger plastic bottles and put them in the big tubs of water. It keeps the water cold just about all day. Then at night I collect the bottles and refreeze them for the next day.

Yup! Me too.​

 

[Bring]

Don't know if anyone has suggested this yet, but you could cut a cantelope or watermelon in half, put it in the freezer then put it outside for them.

 

[mdbokc]

Mine love to wade and sit in a 48 inch diameter kiddy wading pool. I had to get two because the competition is so great for one pool. An inexpensive and fun $20 for the 2 at ACE Hardware.

Even in high humidity condition (our heat indexes are running 115-118), the girls spend several hours a day in the vicinity of the misters. Cover the hose with boards to ensure the water is still cool when it reaches the misters. Misting hot water is no fun for them.