How to keep chickens cool in the heat. Tips wanted!

[K-12 Chickens]

The temperature I've read that chickens start to be in danger of overheating is 90 degrees. There is a major heatwave that is pushing the heat index past 100 degrees! So I was wondering if anyone had tips on keeping chickens cool because I do have two Buff Orpingtons that are starting to molt a little because of heat stress. Imagine wearing a winter coat in over 100 degree heat! Whew, makes me sweat thinking about it.

My chickens are free-range and don't like getting wet anywhere except their feet so I've been filling a pan of water and setting it on the ground for them to step in. Most of them don't step in it but one of my two Silver Laced Wyandottes will put both feet in the pan and actually start scratching in it as if it were dirt. I've also been feeding them cold watermelon. All tips and ideas for keeping chickens cool will be greatly appreciated!

 

[PrairieChickens]

It was brutally hot here last summer and I nearly lost a couple of hens to the heat even with a mister going, so I got creative. I built a couple of small structures out of cinderblocks my dad had lying around, put a roof over them, and then ran the mister on one or the other (I switched it every day or so to avoid the risk of disease from the soggy ground.) The water soaked into the blocks, and as the breeze blew, the water evaporated, cooling the inside of the structure. Once I showed my chickens how to use the structures, they had no more problems. They'd go in when they got too hot, and come back out when they'd had a chance to cool off.




A few of our hens chillin' inside of the "cool box" I built. I also constructed breezeways for hens who preferred to be in a less confining space. As an added bonus, the chickens would stand in the trays of water where the water dripped from the roof, and loved to drink from the overflow. The hardest part about this whole project was getting the hose on just the right setting that it barely misted the bricks without over-saturating them, but not so lightly that it didn't cool off enough.

 

[sphillips]

I live in southern NM, and we've had 100+ degrees everyday for the last few weeks. I freeze gallon jugs of water and place them out around the coop in the morning. Then hens will lay by them to keep cool. I also provide them with a 'pool' (an old sled I found) which I fill with water every morning and throughout the day as needed. I freeze small containers for ice to put in the pool in the afternoon when it really gets hot. We've had to cut more openings in the coop for airflow, which does help a lot when the wind blows a bit. The hot still days are still a battle though. My chickens don't get many treats, but I've read that the frozen treats are good for them. Also, they do need food, and plenty of water, but I've heard that scratch contains corn that can raise body temp, and that's better fed in the winter. No expert, but this is what we've done. Good luck with the heat! I feel your pain!

 

[RedMini]

I filled a plastic container with sand & sprinkle it with water whenever it starts to dry up, so that the sand is cool.
Didn't know if they would actually use it, but they do! They'll go & lay in it to keep cool.

 

[Drover]

I feel your pain. Im in WI, and it has been REALLY HOT around here. like between 95-105. I have been freezing milk jugs full of water and putting them in the coop- they love to sit on them. I also sprinkle their run with the sprinkler so when they walk through the weeds they get damp. If you have a fan, I would put it in their coop. I bet they would love that! Yesterday I fed them some cold oatmeal. They really enjoyed it!

 

[colebarnhart]

I just have a small fan in the coop blowing out thru a vent and have a large fan in the run, but here in Tulsa the temp hasn't dropped below 105 & the heat index is around 115, and it's been like this for over a month and no clouds or rain, the grass is all brown and the trees look like they are dying everywhere!!!! But my flock just pants thru it and seem to be ok.

 

[kmarks613]

I've been going out every hour or so to throw ice cubed into their water, give them some cold fruit from the fridge. I also set up a nice dry dirt area for them to dust bathe in. It's in the low-mid 90s here with the heat index pushing it up to close to 100, and my white rocks are doing well.

 

[nurseshelly]

Quote:
I have one of those personal misters set up, and the chickens were all afraid of it for a few days. Now they love it! They will go stand under the mist for a while and get all wet, then wander off. It also makes the corner of their coop wet, and they go dust bathe in the damp sand. It's aimed so half of the mist is in the run, and the other half is in the end of their coop. When we first put it in and they were afraid, we put it about 6 feet from their coop. Once they started acting like it was part of the scenery, we moved it closer.

Before that, I was just spraying down the coop and the shade cloth every couple of hours ... this works better

 

[BarredRock971]

Ugh! I know! In the 90's today! When it's hot I give them watermelon. It helps to keep them hydrated (and they love it!

)

 

[Wynette]

I make honkin' huge "ice cubes" from small buckets in my deep freeze & put one in each waterer.

I also feed frozen veggies - the kind that come in a box, so it's a nice, neat cube (to begin with). Frozen watermelon rinds, etc. The heat has been really bad, but for my area, today is the last day of 90+ temps for awhile - yeah!