How do you protect your chickens from the heat?

[bucky52]

i had two cheap, box fans at each end of the run.they helped cool some.but with this terrible heat wave with no rain,my chickens were miserable hot.i did the mister and it seemed to just make it worse.went to tractor supply and bought a fan that is recommened for barns.moves lots of air.went back and bought another one this a:m.put out jugs of frozen water in the run and frozen water bottles in their water and they have lots of shade.i have done all that i can do we, are suppose to have normal temps coming in next week.dh said he would put in ac in their coop if i wanted him to.love him for that.he knew how worried and stress out i was.

 

[RonC]

Mine are in a spot that gets shade at least half the day. I also put a tarp hanging from the roof of the run about 6 feet off the ground so they get a realtively dry run when it rains and shade. When I go in the run I can feel heat off the tarp at times but it's 5 feet over their heads and 3 sides of the run are open to a breeze. Think I'm going to put a box fan blowing in their favorite corner where they bath and dig.

 

[Connies Chicks]

Mine enjoyed today not being so hot. Glad it rained a little and glad it is raining now. Maybe all my animals will enjoy it some.

 

[OldGuy43]

Very little. Give them electrolytes in their water and put up a tarp for shade. A chicken's normal body temp is 107° F. That means that anything less than that is cooler than they are.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Very little. Give them electrolytes in their water and put up a tarp for shade. A chicken's normal body temp is 107° F. That means that anything less than that is cooler than they are.

That may be true but MY body temperature is 98 and I am NOT comfortable when it is 98 degrees outside LOL!

 

[Connies Chicks]

That may be true but MY body temperature is 98 and I am NOT comfortable when it is 98 degrees outside LOL!

I totally agree with that. My chickens are panting when it is 100 and they are in the shade. They hate getting wet with the hose but it cools them down and they stop panting.

 

[OldGuy43]

That may be true but MY body temperature is 98 and I am NOT comfortable when it is 98 degrees outside LOL!

There is a difference between "being comfortable" and surviving. That's why you don't heat/air condition the coop, so they become acclimatised.

 

[Whispering_Raven]

I looked for this very issue a couple of weeks ago and found a FANTASTIC thread! In the thread was an article from Grit magazine with tips for keeping chickens cool in the heat. I live in Tennessee and we are in a drought with 105+ temperatures. Here's a link to the posts.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/680705/good-articl-about-heat-and-chickens#post_9242773

http://www.grit.com/the-chicken-chick/beat-the-heat-helping-chickens-survive-high-temperatures.aspx

Edited: Forgot! Here's another really cool blog about helping to keep the chicks cool. The Watermelon is DEFINITELY a big hit with chicks and older chickens!

http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/2012/03/beating-heat.html

 

[Jakoda]

My babies are 5 weeks old today, they've been outside for a week. Last week was REALLY hot here

Their run always has shad in it 'somewhere during the day and seems to get a nice , if little breeze thru it,

Putting ice in their water, they are not thrilled with a mister at all, lots of cold fruits/watermelon, strawberries, blueberries. Also have a sand box for them.

I leave the double doors to their coop part open all day, so lots of air flow. They don't seem to be 'panting', so I'm assuming they aren't overheating.

It hasnt topped higher than 95 here, if it gets hotter, I'll probably put a fan in their coop area if they show they are to hot..