How to beat the heat???

[bobby d]

I'm in need of some help. I live in southeast Texas and right now it's getting up into the mid 90's with very high humidity. My poor chickens are very, very hot. Although we give fresh water daily it doesn't seem like it's enough, doesn't keep them cool enough. How else can I keep them cool? Anyone have any ideas?

 

[RebekahNicole]

I have a hose attachment that allows me to make mist. The mist seems to keep them cool enough.

 

[CoopCrazy]

I have misted them a afew times a day and have also forzen watermelon and tossed it out to them, also you can freeze water bottles and place in the run or coop and they will lay on them to get cool .. All have worked for me....

 

[nuts4hotwheels]

Quote:
I live in Texas as well. When I was a kid, I raised rabbits to show them at the local fair and rodeo as part of 4-H. We used to fill 2 liter soda bottles with water and freeze them. The rabbits loved it.

 

[CoopCrazy]

Quote:
I live in Texas as well. When I was a kid, I raised rabbits to show them at the local fair and rodeo as part of 4-H. We used to fill 2 liter soda bottles with water and freeze them. The rabbits loved it.

I did the same at 4-h..,. They would be sprawled out on them all day ... Too cute .. I had one that would straddle hers and go to sleep that way...

 

[AccioSarah]

Cool treats like watermelon help... I would add some ice to their water too! My girls love pecking at those frozen chunks.

 

[elmo]

Get them in the shade. Rig a shade tarp if you need to. In addition to the other suggestions, you can also put out shallow pans of water. Standing in water helps cool a chicken down.

 

[KnitswithChickens]

I've used all methods with success. Frozen watermelon, pans of water, mist, and frozen bottles of water. Make sure the hens have shade too. I don't have any, but used shade cloth over the run which helps. I do have a small run, but if yours is large you can maybe created shade in part of it. I did use a tarp the first time, but found it got really hot under it - the shade cloth allowed good air circulation.

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

I freeze one gallon milk jugs of water...my bunny outside always gets one when we get into the 90's and 2 when we get in the 100's. My chicks are still in hutches on the enclosed front porch...I have the fan on these, just refilled water bottles and feed dishes and put 1 liter ice bottles in each hutch....put another ice bottle in front of the fan so the 5 kittens out there can cool off, too. Wish the a/c was working...ceiling fan is not doing much good. Sigh!

 

[bobby d]

Thank you!! Ya'll helped me so much!! All of our chickens are under shade, so that's one thing down. Guess I need to go to the store and take care of the rest. I never would have thought of frozen water bottles for them to lay on. I think I'm fixing to have some happy chickens!!