How to Keep your flock cool in the 90 degree heat??

[BuffyGRL]

Here in the foothills of NC we have been having 90 degree weather for about the past week. This week it is expected to be 94-95 degrees. I give them fresh water and fill the waterers each and every evening, they get veggies and fruits, as well as grass clippings and greens I grow for them.

What else can I give them or do to help them cool off as the evenings offer little releif from the himidity and heat?

I haven't had any losses and it normally doesn't seem we are this hot this early so I was hoping to get some great ideas and keep my flock happy and healthy even with this heat

Thanks for any suggestions

Cindy

 

[hennyannie]

Hey neighbor, feeling your pain. Fresh water, plenty of shade, What more can we do. Personally I think they are fareing better than i am. Where did all the snow go anyway?LOL

 

[colby318]

I give them frozen blocks of generic spinach. They love to tuck into it as it thaws. Mine free range so they like to dig into the cool dirt in the shade of our cabin. I also run a fan in the laying coop (which is under trees) so they're comfortable when they lay. Sometimes it's hard to get them back into the coops when it's time to go to work!

 

[buckboy101]

Put ice cubes in their water

 

[carolinasculpture]

Mine LOVE cold watermelon!

Good luck!

 

[flowergirl60]

I know how you feel. Here in Texas we already hit 100 for 3 days last wk. I just give mine fresh water and ice through out the day. Luckily I stay home. I like the spinach idea.

 

[BuffyGRL]

Quote:
Yes, it seems I am totally zapped after finishing my duties. I just worry that I may come in and find one deceased from the stress of the heat. And yes, it definately has been scorching lately

 

[BuffyGRL]

I will definately try some ice in the water.

They have been enjoying watermelon and cantaloupe very much, anything with lots of water content

Wow, 100 degrees already....

 

[Trishkabob]

hot here in upstate NY too...from winter rain to 90.
Ours range and find cool spots but one seems to be having a tougher time:she keeps her beak open a bit and I can see her neck moving in and out like she is breathing hard. She seems fine otherwise. Is this just like a dog panting? The others aren't doing it.

I like the frozen spinach idea. thanks

 

[xera13]

i read on a few differnt feeds about misters. Im not sure myself on imstalling these . I put lots of ice in the waterers. It doesnt get that warm in northern mn all the time but we had some pretty warm days last summer. You could hang a fan and use frozen bottles of water to " air condition" the coop or area they like to hang out. I read that somebodys chicks liked to cozy up to the frozen water jugs. I wonder if you got a pan or tray of sand if you dampened it and let it in the freezer if they would like to lay out on that. Alot of people freeze goodies in water to let them pick at them. I wonder how they would like to eat chilled or slightly frozen oatmeal. I feed warm oatmeal when its cold out for a warm me up.