Chickens can’t sweat. So, wings out help to push cooler air (cooler than their body) under and past exposed blood vessels on the sides of their chest (less feathers) and to a lesser extent under their wings. Open mouth panting is similar to what dogs do, also cooler air into respiratory system and lungs (lots of blood vessels) to heat exchange with warmer body temp.
The pool helps, lots of thermal exchange through the feet.
Here in northern Michigan we have the opposite problem. Have to keep chickens warm, through the same thermal transfer modes. That means wide roosts so they can cover their feet, and less importantly, stable so they can keep their wings tucked.
The MOST important part, at least here, is to not climate control. Chickens will adapt to normal termerature changes if they have enough time. It’s temperature spikes that will get them. Heat lamps in the winter are a terrible idea for cold weather chickens. If you have a power outage, the lamps go out, and the temp drops percipatiously, they can’t adapt and that will kill them.
I believe it’s similar for hot weather and ac.
The pool helps, lots of thermal exchange through the feet.
Here in northern Michigan we have the opposite problem. Have to keep chickens warm, through the same thermal transfer modes. That means wide roosts so they can cover their feet, and less importantly, stable so they can keep their wings tucked.
The MOST important part, at least here, is to not climate control. Chickens will adapt to normal termerature changes if they have enough time. It’s temperature spikes that will get them. Heat lamps in the winter are a terrible idea for cold weather chickens. If you have a power outage, the lamps go out, and the temp drops percipatiously, they can’t adapt and that will kill them.
I believe it’s similar for hot weather and ac.