It’s hot. 104!

[misshell]

try getting a garden mister. i just got one because here in cali its in the 100s
my 3 month old chickies do very well with the mister. it keeps them cool
in their run. also ice in their water helps alot. but don't give them corn while it is hot. corn can raise their temp more. feed them crumbles while its hot.

Thanks for the tip about the corn! I have a mist option on my hose. I will set it up and use that today. Gonna be another hot one.

 

[Folly's place]

Feeding corn does not produce heat!!!

It's food, and a treat in small quantities only, because it by itself isn't a balanced diet. Too many goodies is never a good thing, promoting obesity and actual malnutrition.
Mary

 

[frostic]

Feeding corn does not produce heat!!!

It's food, and a treat in small quantities only, because it by itself isn't a balanced diet. Too many goodies is never a good thing, promoting obesity and actual malnutrition.
Mary

a lot of other people would disagree with you. I'm in california where we stay in the 100s and I see a huge change in my chickens when I feed them corn, they pant more, they even drop their wings to the ground if i give them corn when hitting 100 degrees+... It is something i have experienced here in the SUPER heat of california.

 

[Folly's place]

So your basic feed has no corn in it, and you've noticed a difference??? Here,
feeding corn' means literally a few kernels per bird, and it's just a treat. Overfeeding it as a total diet would not be good anywhere.
Mary

 

[frostic]

So your basic feed has no corn in it, and you've noticed a difference??? Here,
feeding corn' means literally a few kernels per bird, and it's just a treat. Overfeeding it as a total diet would not be good anywhere.
Mary

The layer feed you find here in california has tons of corn in it. this is the reason I switched to all flock crumbles. with all flock crumbles they don't pant or drag their wings anymore. the only different ingredient is that the all flock DON'T have CORN..... I'm not talking about canned corn or corn on the cob... I'm talking about the corn in layer feed..... and yes corn its self don't produce heat. it is enzymes and things in corn that cause the birds body to produce more body heat. It is simple science. only time corn produces heat is when its in the microwave making popcorn....

google chicken layer feed. see all the yellow stuff in it??? pictures with huge chunks of corn? thats corn if you didn't know. not all corn looks the same as in a can.

 

[Folly's place]

I too feed an all-flock feed, not layer, and my birds do fine on it, corn and all.
My goodness, 'science'? Calories produce heat, from any source.
I'm done with this thread hijack.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

How are you all doing in this heat? Can't imagine! Did you all see that it was 130F in Death Valley?!!!
And people actually live there, don't ask me why.
Snow is better...
Mary

 

[frostic]

I too feed an all-flock feed, not layer, and my birds do fine on it, corn and all.
My goodness, 'science'? Calories produce heat, from any source.
I'm done with this thread hijack.
Mary

I am giving them advice about not feeding corn in the scorching heat because it DOES cause problems. I'm from ohio that is even more south than you. I know how chickens react in lower temps like in michigan however now i live in california and this heat out here is WAY different than your 90 degree summers. be nice but don't under mind what advice others give when they clearly have seen something you have not. or don't post at all. that is very rude and not called for. next time try helping the OP and not trying to think you know everything and try and start a debate you will lose every time.

 

[OhioStateCluckeyes]

I have a window air conditioner I can put in the coop. Is that extreme? I have a Brahma and an Orpington that will have the hardest time. The rest are Easter Eggers, Welsummers, Wyandotte and Barred Rocks. All take the heat better. I just worry about them at 100 degrees.

 

[Cindymac]

try getting a garden mister. i just got one because here in cali its in the 100s
my 3 month old chickies do very well with the mister. it keeps them cool
in their run. also ice in their water helps alot. but don't give them corn while it is hot. corn can raise their temp more. feed them crumbles while its hot.

Never thought about the corn.. it's in their scratch grain. Will try the ice cube in a low bucket of cold water. We have a gravity system off a rain barrel the doesn't see sun until 3 pm or so, I'll pit out the cold water then and give frozen treats too.