How to raise chicken in hot weather?

[ninafe]

Hello! First time backyard chicken owner here. I have four 4 week old pullets that are currently housed in our garage (well ventilated and lit) and are about to be moved out to our covered patio outside here in a few weeks. To train them to get used to the outside, I have been putting them in our backyard in an enclosure for half an hour every day. I live in Houston and it's already 90F outside. Today I noticed all four chicks started panting, lying down lopsided with wings open just a few mins into their backyard adventure. I quickly pulled them inside and they were okay.

Well... Houston isn't gonna get any cooler until maybe October or so...until then, what can I do to make sure the chicks don't overheat? I've been digging around on this forum and the common things are ice cubes, water pan, frozen treats, a small fan next to coop (their coop and run is under the shaded patio.) No one is at the house during the day between 7am- 5pm so ice cubes won't last long at all... What else would you suggest? Thank you!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I will sometimes empty the ice cube tray into the waterer so its almost solid ice. I'm not in Texas but Utah gets pretty hot in the summer. My favorite heat-buster is to freeze a bowl of water with some fruit in it and dump that out into a dish. What breeds do you have? Some do better with heat than others but if they have shade and fresh water they should be fine.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

The laying down lopsided is just how chickens sun bathe. They might look like they're dying but they're usually fine lol. Do you have a place for them to take a dust bath? The panting is concerning but they do need to acclimate and I'm not sure half and hour a day will do it.

 

[bhaugh]

I'm in Vegas. My chicks are outside right now silkies that I bought specifically to bring into the garage this summer. I usually have ducks for this exact reason. But this year opted for chickens. I agree 1/2 hour a day isn't enough time. Also watch breeds with rose comb and feathered shank they over heat faster. Combs and legs help the bird release heat so no comb with feathered legs is a possible disaster ie silkies in my garage this summer.
What breeds are we talking about?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

The laying down lopsided is just how chickens sun bathe. They might look like they're dying but they're usually fine lol. Do you have a place for them to take a dust bath? The panting is concerning but they do need to acclimate and I'm not sure half and hour a day will do it.

Additionally, the earth is the world's largest heat sink. Chickens will dig down an 8nch or so, and lay in the recently uncovered now shaded by their bodies dirt - it will be a few degrees cooler and help them suffer the day time heat.

 

[sandburRanch]

If possible , provide a shallow pan of water to stand in for a few minutes . If they're uncomfortably hot they will soon find it useful .

 

[ninafe]

Got it- all four are ISA browns. Are they pretty hardy? I will start to leave them outside for longer. Once they move to their coop, they will have some shade as it is on a covered patio.

 

[bhaugh]

Keep an eye on their coop. Manufacturers do not make coops to be heat resistant. I don't use coops because the birds go inside and they cook. I usually will put in a plastic dog crate with the door removed and fencing is an ex pen that I use for dogs. You need to have good air circulation and shade for the heat of the day. I have even turned the hose on and soaked the ground so the birds have a way to collect the coolness from the ground when the wind blows. But if they don't turn out considered ducks which are far superior even in laying and will cool themselves with a dip in the pool.

 

[Chookiemom]

When its particularly hot I give my chickens some watermelon from the fridge at the hottest time of day and mist them with the hose a bit to help. Wetting the ground a little can help too. I put a shade cloth on the part of the run that isn't covered by trees/shrubs.

 

[sandburRanch]

Got it- all four are ISA browns. Are they pretty hardy? I will start to leave them outside for longer. Once they move to their coop, they will have some shade as it is on a covered patio.

Provide them with shade now if possible if nothing more than a travel size umbrella . Place both their drinking water and wading water under it . May need adjusting during the hottest portion of the day .