It has been so hot here in south Florida that we have been taking water out to our girls filled with ice cubes, it this okay for them? They seem to be handling the hot weather good so far but it has just started.
Yeah ice water is great. I actually freeze water bottles to put in their water and place them under the coop so they can cool off.
Thanks, I thought it would be okay. They are doing good so far, they really love cold tomatoes its there favorite.
I make half gallon blocks and put them right in the waterer. Beats the heck out of cubes and they last all day. i use the big plastic ziploc reuseable containers. They hold about a half gallon. Just carry them to the coop pop'em out right in the water. Use 2 on warm days and 4 on hot ones. Refill them repeat process.
definitely use frozen water blocks! I use frozen two litre bottles of water, and they come running when i put out fresh water with ice. They're either ganged around it drinking or fighting to stand in it. I use large aluminum disposable roastring pans all over the run along with their usual water supply, and i also set my water hose on MIST twice a day and soak em down. They love it!
They are just like humans in that sense that when it gets hot, they are better off with ice water and things to keep them cool. Anything you do to cool off their little feathered bodies will be good for them. Make sure they have shade, their water is not too hot, and that they are not acting weird and you will be good. I do not like to use water bottles full of ice due to the leeching plastics from freezing them but do set cups of ice in the freezer to dump in the waterer bucket.
Not very many hot months here in SE Wisconsin, but when it's hot it's not fun... making note of the ice block idea!! Actually may go start making some now so they are ready when I need them!! Thanks!
I freeze a gallon sized plastic coffee container of water each night and put it in their pan of water in the morning upside down without the lid so it melts into the water. The water (which is shaded) is still cool when I get home from work even when it's reached 100 or more. I plan to start putting a couple of frozen containers in the waterers each day when it starts staying above 80 each nite. Frozen or refrigerated melons are a big hit here with my pullets also. And I have a sprinkler set to go on 4 times during the day for about 5-10 minutes right now, I may change that to a mister system but that requires more maintenance (cleaning hard water out of nozzles regularly). Note: the evaporative cooling effect of misters doesn't work in high humidity. I'm in Mesa, Arizona so only have high humidity during a short monsoon season.
We found in the poultry industry that during the hot summer months in the southern US and in the middle east (Isreal, Egypt, S. Arabia, Turkey) that chilling the water and having insulated pipes for the nipple drinkers was well worth the investment in broiler breeder eggs produced. Plus the shells were much better.
