It's 108 in AZ and my chicken are pooping black squishy blobs

[SuburbChickens]

Hi, It's 108 degrees in AZ today and my 3 chickens are pooping lots of black squishy blobs. Should I be worried? I keep organic apple cider mixed into their water to keep them hydrated & provide plenty of water, food, & shade. Is there anything else I should be doing for them?

 

[Mrs. K]

Shade is good, and AZ should be dry (right?) I have heard of hosing down the outside of the coop. just to drop the internal temperature, and a sprinkle to dampen the part of the ground of the run, so they can dig in it.

But shade and plenty of clean water. I don't think I would even add the vinegar, but I do think I would add fresh water a couple of times a day.

I have read of milk jugs or pop bottles filled with water, frozen and placed in the shady parts. I have never done this, but it is an idea.

Mrs K

 

[song of joy]

Hi, It's 108 degrees in AZ today and my 3 chickens are pooping lots of black squishy blobs. Should I be worried? I keep organic apple cider mixed into their water to keep them hydrated & provide plenty of water, food, & shade. Is there anything else I should be doing for them?

I'd skip the ACV. During the summer I put out a large plastic dog bowl under a shade tree and fill it with cold water. They seem to prefer this to their regular chicken waterer. During really hot temperatures, this water can be further cooled down with a block of ice (e.g., frozen in a margarine or cool-whip container). I avoid nipple watering systems during really hot weather as it seems like they have to work too hard to stay hydrated.

To increase hydration, moisten their feed (only as much as they'll eat in about 15 minutes). Also, chickens LOVE watermelon. They'll completely clean out the white flesh, right down to the rind.

 

[azjustin]

Hi, It's 108 degrees in AZ today and my 3 chickens are pooping lots of black squishy blobs. Should I be worried? I keep organic apple cider mixed into their water to keep them hydrated & provide plenty of water, food, & shade. Is there anything else I should be doing for them?

I had this same thought a few years ago, but unless you are actually watching them poo black blobs (yes, as it happens), you're probably just analyzing baked chicken poo

, which can be all sorts of different colors in 108 degree weather... If everyone is happy and doing well, I wouldn't stress.

You've got it right about the hot weather care. The only other necessity is a fan to move the air around when there is no breeze. Chickens don't perspire, but stagnant air will quickly climb higher in temps and humidity vs fast moving air. Sit in a vehicle without the engine running, then open the door and go outside, 108 degrees feels like AC

. We turn on a $16 walmart box fan when the temps reach 100, and turn it off in October. Six years in Tucson with poultry and haven't lost a single bird to heat.

Open water in pans or such also helps if you water only with nipples. Or, putting ice into the water reservoirs will cool everyone down also.

ACV makes our well water mold in less than 24 hours when the temps are high, I feel it's a personal choice to use it or not.

We turn the run and coop into a dripping (and well cooled) mess around 2-3 PM on the hot days and that helps everyone perk up and enjoy the evening a lot earlier. If you have any shade cloth, hose it down really well and that creates a VERY nice swamp cooling effect that can drop the area 10-15 degrees almost instantly.

Just my 2c, good luck!

 

[kgb6days]

Are they acting normal otherwise? Are they drinking more water than normal? I'm having some 'black squishy' poops as well in my run. They are drinking a ton of water (no ACV) and that will make their poo a little runnier. Main thing is are they OK acting otherwise

 

[Mrs. K]

"Main thing is are they OK acting otherwise"


This is very true, if they are acting fine, they probably are fine!

 

[SuburbChickens]

They're drinking a lot of water for sure, but they are acting fine. Sometimes they nestle down in the dirt in front of the fan and fall asleep, but they do have periods of activity also.

 

[cc chickens]

We freeze water bottles & put them in the water to cool it down, we also drench the shady parts so they can waller in the damp dirt. We also put our watermelons in the fridge to chill them & then cut & serve them, they love cold watermelon

 

[aart]

I'd skip the ACV.
Misters can work wonders in a dry climate.

 

[Cacique500]

I've got a fan and use the frozen 2 liter bottles. Here in Georgia we've had a BRUTAL summer with very little rain and the chickens are not happy. They do like the frozen 2 liters, and the first time I put them out I had a chicken nestled up next to it after about 5 minutes.