How to Keep Chickens Cool in Upcoming Heat Wave?

[Grandmas Coop]

Because adding mist to 50 or 60% ambient humidity is like trying to breath through a wet sponge, and chickens do not have a robust respiratory system...

Misting works great, in some climates, under some conditions. There are, however, no perfect solutions. It makes things worse in others. Compared to most of the rest of the nation, I'm very fortunate - 90 degrees today, 50% humidity. "feels like" 95. At 60% humidity, it "feels like" 100. When we get our afternoon rain, just at the start of it, when the humidity jumps up to 90%??? That same 90 degree temperature "feels like" 122.

When Portland hits 110 degrees today and slowly climbs from there, but humidity drops to 13-15%??? Yeah, I'd be running some water - likely over the metal roof. In an hour or so, when its 85 and 45% humidity? I would definitely NOT be adding water to the air.


Hoping for the best for you and your flock, @GrandmaDeKorte and everyone else affected by the heat wave. I hear from the weatherman this should be breaking soon - hopefully they are right this time.

Oh thank you, all of my chickens are doing good, I am keeping a VERY close eye on them Lolololo It was 100 at 3pm, but they are hanging in there

 

[CatBarr]

Hey everyone, it sounds like most everyone made it out ok this weekend. It was brutal here in our area of Maple Valley, WA. Out of all the measures I took, wetting down the shady spots of the yard with the hose and setting up a mister under their bushes, frozen fruit, and melting electrolyte ice blocks were the most popular. Sunday was stressful and it got worse when we lost power which killed our fans and well access. A few hens were having a really hard time so I was placing them in the ac garage for a while to cool down. Monday was the worst though and while we got power back, a fire started in the woods adjacent to our place and there was also a car fire on our property. With all of this going on I was doing my best to check on the girls and ended up finding one too late after she had passed. I’m heartbroken because I feel like I should have caught it in time. Everyone else seemed to do ok yesterday, relatively, and spent the whole day under the shady area being misted where they dug deep holes, and had their food and water. The wild birds spent all day with them in that area and it gave me some relief that those measures were helping them too. It was a horribly stressful and sad few days and I’m glad it’s behind us.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

Hey everyone, it sounds like most everyone made it out ok this weekend. It was brutal here in our area of Maple Valley, WA. Out of all the measures I took, wetting down the shady spots of the yard with the hose and setting up a mister under their bushes, frozen fruit, and melting electrolyte ice blocks were the most popular. Sunday was stressful and it got worse when we lost power which killed our fans and well access. A few hens were having a really hard time so I was placing them in the ac garage for a while to cool down. Monday was the worst though and while we got power back, a fire started in the woods adjacent to our place and there was also a car fire on our property. With all of this going on I was doing my best to check on the girls and ended up finding one too late after she had passed. I’m heartbroken because I feel like I should have caught it in time. Everyone else seemed to do ok yesterday, relatively, and spent the whole day under the shady area being misted where they dug deep holes, and had their food and water. The wild birds spent all day with them in that area and it gave me some relief that those measures were helping them too. It was a horribly stressful and sad few days and I’m glad it’s behind us.

Oh you had a rough time, I am so sorry you lost one, but I am thankful you all are ok. Fires can be so unpredictable.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

We made it through, we are good. I am tired but my dogs and chickens are ok. I am very thankful.

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

Glad everyone in this thread is doing well. I live in the Deep South and it occurs to me reading this thread that heat waves for you all is like an ice storm for us. We aren’t used to it and don’t have the supplies to deal with it—road graters, salt for roads, snow ploughs etc and it causes big problems for us.
Hope y’all stay cool and the chickens continue to thrive. I think we are going to plant some fruit trees just west of our coop / run to give it some more shade.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Glad everyone in this thread is doing well. I live in the Deep South and it occurs to me reading this thread that heat waves for you all is like an ice storm for us. We aren’t used to it and don’t have the supplies to deal with it—road graters, salt for roads, snow ploughs etc and it causes big problems for us.
Hope y’all stay cool and the chickens continue to thrive. I think we are going to plant some fruit trees just west of our coop / run to give it some more shade.

Shade is great - I'm nearby, used to jokingly claim I was from the one state in the nation where you had to drive North to reach the Deep South - but the FL Panhandle where i now live is definite Deep South territory.

In any event, make sure your fruit trees, when full grown, will drop fruit outside the run - so you don't risk seasonal dietary imbalances from dropped fruits. Everybody knows to plant some distance from the run so the birds don't destroy it before it has a chance to become a tree, but leaving enough room for it to continue to grow isn't always considered.

/back on subject, sorry to hijack!

 

[Lemon-Drop]

I am so glad all of my chickens survived! It’s still going to be quite warm today (about 90) but it’s cooling down.

I’m so sorry to all of those who lost chickens to this brutal heatwave.

One of my chickens, a silkie named Mochi, almost didn’t make it. She was acting lethargic, panting, and holding her wings out, and not moving much.

Luckily I was able to bring her inside (I am blessed to have air conditioning) and she started doing better.

 

[3KillerBs]

Glad everyone in this thread is doing well. I live in the Deep South and it occurs to me reading this thread that heat waves for you all is like an ice storm for us. We aren’t used to it and don’t have the supplies to deal with it—road graters, salt for roads, snow ploughs etc and it causes big problems for us.
Hope y’all stay cool and the chickens continue to thrive. I think we are going to plant some fruit trees just west of our coop / run to give it some more shade.

That's a good analogy.

A heat wave like that wouldn't be so bad for us here in the Steamy Southeast since it would only be 10 degrees over normal instead of 20-30 degrees above normal. Our chickens are acclimated.

 

[AntiqueB]

We're due to hit 100 today. This thread, with all its ideas and stories of love for the chickens, has given me hope that the girls will be OK. Thank you all for sharing what worked!

 

[CatBarr]

Oh you had a rough time, I am so sorry you lost one, but I am thankful you all are ok. Fires can be so unpredictable.

They are, especially with everything being so dry. The one in the woods is still picking up once in a while but it's contained, which has put me at ease. I'm glad you and your animals made it through.