How to keep my hens cool in the hot summer

[Bawkbok]

Lol...well I didn't say money back guarantee. I've raised chickens for years and never had any that wouldn't stand in the saucers of water.

So what's the secret to making that happen? I've been searching for the perfect depth container, preferably with a non-skid surface that would be perfect for a foot stand in, but I've yet to find one. We've tried plant saucers: clay, ceramic and plastic, aluminum shallow pans, a kiddie pool, etc. I've picked them up and held them in there for a minute, they couldn't wait to get out. It would be easier than pouring buckets of water in the run every day, several times a day during these triple digit heat indices. Then, they would probably scratch dirt in it and then drink it. The weather can't cool off fast enough for me.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

So what's the secret to making that happen? I've been searching for the perfect depth container, preferably with a non-skid surface that would be perfect for a foot stand in, but I've yet to find one. We've tried plant saucers: clay, ceramic and plastic, aluminum shallow pans, a kiddie pool, etc. I've picked them up and held them in there for a minute, they couldn't wait to get out. It would be easier than pouring buckets of water in the run every day, several times a day during these triple digit heat indices. Then, they would probably scratch dirt in it and then drink it. The weather can't cool off fast enough for me.

I didn’t have anything saucer-like to use, so I partially buried a Rubbermaid tub. There are two bricks it it, at either side, and I fill it until the bricks are barely covered.

When they were looking at it with the usual “how is she trying to kill us now?” suspicion, they’d first perch on the edges, then on the bricks, and then in the deep part. Go figure, no telling with chickens.

 

[2 Acres]

So what's the secret to making that happen? I've been searching for the perfect depth container, preferably with a non-skid surface that would be perfect for a foot stand in, but I've yet to find one. We've tried plant saucers: clay, ceramic and plastic, aluminum shallow pans, a kiddie pool, etc. I've picked them up and held them in there for a minute, they couldn't wait to get out. It would be easier than pouring buckets of water in the run every day, several times a day during these triple digit heat indices. Then, they would probably scratch dirt in it and then drink it. The weather can't cool off fast enough for me.

A rubber livestock tub would be best and give the feet "grip". Nothing plastic like a kiddie pool.

 

[2 Acres]

A rubber livestock tub would be best and give the feet "grip". Nothing plastic like a kiddie pool.

FYI... my rooster doesn't like to be immersed. I'm gonna be persistent. He's the only one I haven't been able to stay in the tub

 

[someonewholovesgeese]

I have three hens now. I’m trying to keep them cool I bought a baby swimming pool put water in it. Put rocks that they could stand on and bricks where they can step up on. I even set them in there for a few minutes cause I know they cool off by their feet and legs. One of my young hens was breathing so heavy and her wings was expanding. I was a little bit worried For some reason. They just won’t go in the pool. Anybody have any ideas? Any help would be very much appreciated.

where i am its normally either upwards of 32 degrees or downwards of 20 so not a lot of great weather and when its cold its rainy and when its hot its so damn dry you can spill a cup of water on the ground and itl be gone withing like 60 seconds (Australia) but i still love it here

 

[2 Acres]

If you have plants around where you keep your chickens and it isn't too humid outside for moisture to evaporate, spray/mist the plants. As the moisture evaporates off the plants, it cools the air around them.

Make sure they have a place to dirt bathe so they can dig down to where the earth is cooler and lay in it. Again, if it isn't too humid for moisture to evaporate, spray down the dirt to cool it. Just standing/laying on cool dirt helps with heat exchange. Shaded concrete/stone/brick/etc also stays much cooler so if they have access to it, let them stand/lay there.

White reflects heat so painting things white can help.

Spray the roof and outside walls of your coop as necessary througout the day to cool it.

Make sure there's efficient airflow.

Cold treats like frozen fruits and veggies work just like ice cream or a popsicle for people; the proximity of the mouth to the brain means that eating cold treats helps cool the blood flowing to and from the brain.

Deep, dark shade is best for chickens to escape the heat. If you don't have deep, dark shade, make some. My girls spend most of the day lounging and foraging in the woods when it's really hot out.

Offer electrolytes in one waterer on really hot days so heat exhausted chickens can replenish their vitamins and such.

Bringing chickens into air conditioning for extended periods is dangerous because once they acclimate to an air conditioned environment, they become less tolerant of heat and more likely to get heat stroke once back outside, even if it isn't extremely hot. Bringing them into a shaded spot, like a garage, to cool down for a while with supportive care is better.

Check, check, check and check

 

[2 Acres]

I have several methods to cool our birds here in NC:

• I have a hanging box fan in a weather proof area of the run angled towards the ground, not pointed at one spot but angled so it blows across a long area of the dirt. I spray the dirt in that fanned area every night and it stays damp for about 24 hours; as the air passes over it the area is about 2 or 3 degrees cooler than the dryer areas. When it's 109 those 2-3 degrees matter!
• I have a small box desk fan mounted inside the coop pointed towards the ceiling to move the air around.
• I make frozen 'treat rings' in mini-bundt pans with frozen corn and blueberries. I hang those in the run during the hottest days, they gobble them up.
• I give them cold sprouted mung beans and frozen blueberries as a treat early in the mornings.
• As I eat watermelon I leave some on the rind and stick it in the freezer and give them a piece of that frozen rind during the later part of the hotter days.

So far my girls are doing fairly well. Mostly lying down next to the brick wall of the house, way back in the darker part of the run.

During WW2... my grandparents were stationed in Chandler Arizona. They used a drip system where water trickled down cut up curtains with a fan blowing behind them.

The original "mister" air conditioning was in use back then.

 

[Blue Andalusian]

I have three hens now. I’m trying to keep them cool I bought a baby swimming pool put water in it. Put rocks that they could stand on and bricks where they can step up on. I even set them in there for a few minutes cause I know they cool off by their feet and legs. One of my young hens was breathing so heavy and her wings was expanding. I was a little bit worried For some reason. They just won’t go in the pool. Anybody have any ideas? Any help would be very much appreciated.

I give my chickens cool water. I change it Morning, Aternoon an Evening. Then, sometimes i usually give them Some rozen ruit/veggies/scraps (You can try putting Scraps or Melon in the reezer. My Chickens Love Watermelon) an then they'll go in the trees or own to the pon to cool o. Hope this helps!

 

[Ahoragi]

This was my first summer with our chickens that we got in March. It was a very unusually hot summer of consistent 90 degree temps with almost zero rain. The grass is brown which has never happened. I changed out the waterers multiple times a day and used frozen water bottles inside them to keep the water cold as long as possible. Providing shade was the biggest help though. Our chicken run became tarp-city but it was needed to keep the sun off of them.

One thing they really liked and made a noticeable difference in their expanding wings and panting was a big saucer bowl of ice water with frozen green peas, blueberries, and sunflower seeds. They would swarm that and get hydrated while eating the food.

They all made it through the rough heat and now enjoying the mid to low 70's. They do miss fresh grass though. Bring the rain!

Small tip: keep your outdoor hose covered from the sun. The water that comes out for your waterers will be cooler.

 

[2 Acres]

This was my first summer with our chickens that we got in March. It was a very unusually hot summer of consistent 90 degree temps with almost zero rain. The grass is brown which has never happened. I changed out the waterers multiple times a day and used frozen water bottles inside them to keep the water cold as long as possible. Providing shade was the biggest help though. Our chicken run became tarp-city but it was needed to keep the sun off of them.

One thing they really liked and made a noticeable difference in their expanding wings and panting was a big saucer bowl of ice water with frozen green peas, blueberries, and sunflower seeds. They would swarm that and get hydrated while eating the food.

They all made it through the rough heat and now enjoying the mid to low 70's. They do miss fresh grass though. Bring the rain!

Small tip: keep your outdoor hose covered from the sun. The water that comes out for your waterers will be cooler.

Good idea because a hot garden hose has the potential to leech unwanted chemicals into the water.