It's going to be super hot today.

[Henriettamom919]

For our area and time of year. Temps are expected to be in the 90's.

So far I've got used soda bottles filled with water in the freezer, extra water dishes filled and scattered and some watermelon scraps in the fridge. I have some large pieces of cardboard to make lean to shades for the littles. I kept the storm doors open on the big girl coop all night to cool down the interior as much as possible for when they lay later today.

Any other suggestions or things I should look for? This is the hottest weather my girls, both older flock and littles, will have ever dealt with. I know I'm being overly paranoid but my layers had a really hard time while laying in the 80 degree weather during our last heat wave in May.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sounds like you have it covered.
I run fans when it gets hot.

 

[Folly's place]

Can you set up a fan safely in a window? Moving air does help. Misting the coop roof may help to keep it cooler too.
I have large spruces and shrubs north and west of the coop, and a river birch and shrubs south of the coop. Shade, and in the 'woods' west of the coop it's always cooler than ambient temps.
If you haven't done plantings out there, start this season, for the future.
Heat is tough!
Some birds may step into a shallow pan of cool water; maybe try that.
Mary

 

[Henriettamom919]

Our laying coop is under a mature red leaf maple so it's never in full sun. I'll find some pans for water and I think I can set up a box fan on the saw horse that's already out there. I'll just position it outside one of the screen windows and use bungee cords to secure it.

These are great ideas, thank you!

 

[Mrs. K]

A lot depends on your humidity. And heat can reduce egg production, just a fact, not much you can do for it. I have soaked the sand of the run as another trick, but I live in very arid country, so when we get hot, it is very dry.

As to shade - check shade positions at 4:00 - generally the hottest point of the day, and by late afternoon, areas that were shady, can be in direct sunlight.

Mrs K

 

[Henriettamom919]

@Mrs. K Yes, humidity is a problem here. At 80* you can wring yourself out unless there's a good breeze coming off the Puget sound. I'll definitely pop out throughout the day to check shade. My older girls seem to lay rain or shine, heat or snow! But they're still quite young at 11 months old.

 

[Aunt Angus]

It's supposed to be 105° here today. Yuck. But it's super dry right now, so I dont think it's as bad. Yesterday, I came home and dipped all the girls' feet, legs, and bellies in cool (not cold) water and let them air dry. That helped. They stopped panting after a bit.

I also water the lawn for evaporating and so they walk through it. I water their coop roof, too. I also have window fans and misters (though they don't seem to notice the misters). Watermelon. They love it, and it helps hydrate them. And I place lots of pans of water all over the yard with electrolytes.

ETA: I also picked up a few cheap beach umbrellas and put them in the yard. Not deep shade, but the girls spend as lot of time under them. And they're cute.

 

[Henriettamom919]

I have some electrolytes powder but it's for chicks; would this be okay for my layers or should I run to the co-op and buy hen specific electrolytes?

 

[HenHouse4Life]

My flock likes ice cubes with corn in them. Sounds like you're doing a great job!

 

[Henriettamom919]

My flock likes ice cubes with corn in them. Sounds like you're doing a great job!

Ooh! That's a great idea. I sometimes give them frozen blueberries floating in a little water. It's fun to watch them "bob" for berries and they love drinking the berry water afterwards. Makes for some interesting looking poo, though