How do you keep your chickens cool? ~Heat Wave~

[Mathew544]

Any suggestions on keeping chickens cool? I have 7 that live in a large barn in the lower section, which stays kinda of cool with the dirt floor and the shade. They also free range and sometimes hangout under a large pine tree. However I found my largest rooster this morning laying on the floor panting. I put him in the basement in a dark area where its much cooler and he improved almost immediately. I put a bunch of ice in there water containers. Any other suggestions?

 

[mithious]

you could try freezing some two liter soda bottles with water and put them around their coop, I have a fan on mine too. Another poster said they hose down their coop, outside walls and roof...a frozen bottle of water in their water container was another suggestion!!

Good luck with the awful heat wave. I have been refilling my flocks water every two hours or even more often in the heat of the day with cold water also, and maybe put a frozen water bottle in front of a fan blowing in on them?

This heat is crazy weird, aye?

 

[mithious]

Another couple ideas, frozen fruit/berries, and in the heat of the day, I give mine cold yogurt, although I have yet to find a container for it that doesn't fill up with shavings...so have to take it away once it gets too many in it...boy don't they holler at me for that LOL

 

[Tonkasmum]

My run is all sand, I keept is wet down really well, and when it gets hot, the girls all dig down in it and roll. I only have part of the run uncovered, so most of it is in the shade, but they still get warm. When I get home, I usually have some frozen grapes or watermelon for them.

 

[Demosthine]

I know it won't help immediately, but get them grass, a good grass yard. We live in the sweltering desert here in Arizona and my flock has done fabulous this year. I did a temperature experiment during our really hot week. The ambient temperature was 118* that day, while the shaded porch was 111*. Laying on the grass, in the sun, where the chickens seem to prefer, it was 97*. The grassy areas where there was shade averaged an unbelievable 89*! That is far better than any other cooling method that you'll find.

And if you think about the cooling method for them, the chickens cool themselves through their feet, so the cool temperatures of the grass would be extremely beneficial to them.

Another alternative is to put a shallow pan out and fill it with water. They will walk through it or just stand in it. Again, their primary cooling is through their feet, combs and wattles, so having cool ground is crucial.

 

[cyanne64]

I live in Arizona. I keep a fan on at all times inside my coop, in the shaded part of the run I have a shallow tub with water for them to stand in also as well as a misting system. I also made them a little access hatch to get into a portion of my basement that is enclosed for them and a lot of them spend most of the day down there!

 

[Demosthine]

I live in Arizona. I keep a fan on at all times inside my coop, in the shaded part of the run I have a shallow tub with water for them to stand in also as well as a misting system. I also made them a little access hatch to get into a portion of my basement that is enclosed for them and a lot of them spend most of the day down there!

I don't believe I've seen you on our Arizona Chickens thread, so please come on over and say hello! We talk all sorts of good Arizona details, like this heat.

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Sweet T]

I keep a cheap box fan going in the run, and if it's really hot I add ice to their water. Also most days I will give them cold watermelon.

 

[Kelso roosters]

I just let my chickens go under the tree with some water and I also put sand next to them and keep it wet they love it