How to keep your chickens cool?

[doublecrossranch]

I am in Missouri so we get a wide range of weather here. Today it is noon, 79 and my chickens think they are dying. Even my less fluffy breed are panting like it’s 100. This is first summer for some second for others. How can I keep them cool? They free range with supervision but have a wire covered run. The coop has plenty of ventilation, trust me it’s a dust storm in there. Helpful hints? Ignore the mess I’m cleaning and trying to garden.

 

[Presnell5]

I’d start by adding more shade where possible. We have some shade cloth over ours that helps a lot. Don’t use a tarp. It made ours way hotter. Also at the hottest Part of the day if they can’t free range you can take a tray filled with ice and some water and some frozen peas or something to the coop and let them walk through it. That’ll help a lot.

 

[Mamatomany123]

My chickens have been having a hard time this week. We've been over 100. Right now I put 2 ice packs in their water to keep it cold, freeze a bucket of water every night and set it out for them the stand in or drink, I have a mesh shade cloth over part of their run and they also have access to shade under their coop. I also have a fan blowing on them under the coop where they like to lay. I've been considering a mister but will wait. We should cool down again next week but our summers get over 120 most years. W

 

[aart]

Deep all day shade is best but....

I give a dose of Sav-a-Chick electrolytes/vitamins about once a week during heat waves.
It really seems to help....started this after they saved a heat stroked hen once.
Can mix up a smaller amount, just wrap the packet tight and store in a dry cool place.
Always have plain water available too.

BIG(9x14x2") chunks of ice last all day for wading, sitting, and sipping.
Much more useful to the chickens than frozen foods and treats.

Make space in your freezer!

 

[henless]

You have a big run, but no shade. Try and put some kind of cover on part of your run. This will give them a place to get out of the sun and cool off. Shade cloth will help, but like aart said, they need deep shade too.

 

[doublecrossranch]

The only deep shade is the woods and one of my chickens was killed by a hawk there. They avoid it now. I have shade cloth but I didn’t know they weren’t going to be able to handle the 70’s weather. Lol

 

[henless]

It's probably not the temp, but the sun that is getting to them. I have tin on my run which gives them deep shade to get in.

 

[aart]

I have shade cloth but I didn’t know they weren’t going to be able to handle the 70’s weather. Lol

First wave of heat bothers most people too....gotta get used to it.

 

[doublecrossranch]

First wave of heat bothers most people too....gotta get used to it.

And then it’s going to be back down to the 30’s. Haha. Poor chickens won’t know what to do.

 

[Mamatomany123]

And then it’s going to be back down to the 30’s. Haha. Poor chickens won’t know what to do.

We're over 100this week and will be down to the 50s next week. Still good to have shade set up so you arent out there doing it when it's hot. Mine have under their coop, this little bush tree thing and a mesh tarp to provide shade but also allows the breeze to go through.