How to Keep Chickens Cool in Upcoming Heat Wave?

[Grandmas Coop]

I wonder why you cannot just mist the chickens and keep the fan on them. Same principal as an evaporative cooler (aka swamp cooler). Evaporative cooling can drop the air temperature 10F to 30F degrees depending on humidity..

They do not like being sprayed, they would still be hot, just wet and hot, but, I am spraying the run down which cools the temp.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

Good Morning,
I got maybe 4 hours sleep, my dogs are having a hard time.
I have my coffee and will be getting to task here real soon.
I am praying for everyone, I know we all are doing all we can.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I wonder why you cannot just mist the chickens and keep the fan on them. Same principal as an evaporative cooler (aka swamp cooler). Evaporative cooling can drop the air temperature 10F to 30F degrees depending on humidity..

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.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

They do not like being sprayed, they would still be hot, just wet and hot, but, I am spraying the run down which cools the temp.

But isn't it bad if the run n coop get wet? I have silkies...

 

[Grandmas Coop]

But isn't it bad if the run n coop get wet? I have silkies...

I dont wet down the coop, just the run. It rains in the run all of the time- If I dont wet down the run, the chickens will be in 105temp, dead

 

[3KillerBs]

But isn't it bad if the run n coop get wet? I have silkies...

It depends on the conditions. As @U_Stormcrow said, if the humidity is already high it just makes things worse. But if it's hot and DRY with low humidity than it can improve things -- though I personally would always leave my chickens the option to choose either wet or dry and not wet down the entire run.

'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.

I'm feeling fortunate too. I don't think it's going to break 90 today -- ridiculously cool for the end of June here in the Southeast.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I wonder why you cannot just mist the chickens and keep the fan on them.

I don't even own a fan (yes we're really suffering). Thankfully the hose nearest to the chickens is mostly in the shade throughout the day and dispenses cool water. I already sprayed down a portion of the run this morning and will be doing it again in about 10 minutes.

I've even made ice cubes for the first time in like 5 years lol. Going to be splitting them between the dogs and the chickens, humans don't get any. Oh, and cleared fridge space for cold electrolyte water, cold dog kibble, etc... our food got shoved to the side.

 

[PDXchickenmom]

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m dying over here. Chickens are inside where it is definitely cooler than outside but still pretty miserable. One hen desperately needs to lay an egg and I tried to let her in the coop but after 15 minutes, she was nearly unresponsive. I brought a box inside to try to get her to lay in their indoor pen, but she’s just crying. I am running on 3 hours of sleep and delirium at this point.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Anybody think wetting the grass then letting them free range would help, even for just half an hour? (I have to supervise-them when free ranging and I don’t want to stay out in 111 degree weather)

 

[rosemarythyme]

Anybody think wetting the grass then letting them free range would help, even for just half an hour? (I have to supervise-them when free ranging and I don’t want to stay out in 111 degree weather)

That's not a bad idea, especially if there's some shady areas they can access, or patches of loose dirt where they can dig down to cool off.