Keeping a Happy & Healthy Flock In Extreme Summer Heat

[speckledhen]

This was what we did with old bed sheets. Also, we use 3 gallon buckets they give us free from the bakery that frosting and garlic spread come in. You fill that up half full of water, freeze it overnight, and fill to the top with fresh water in the a.m. It lasts most all day with a huge floating iceberg in it until very late in the afternoon. And if you wait till noon to put that out, it may still have ice in it at roost time, if it's in shade like under this bed sheet "tent".

That bucket sits into a hole dug for it so it's partially below ground, which helps the ice stay frozen longer.

 

[Red Barn Farms]

We use shade covers over the run area which work really well too. This type is suppose to provide 70% of shade protection. They are 10' x 10' in size and we connect them together with plastic ties and string. They allow good air flow but keep the area well shaded.

Speckledhens idea with the buckets is a great idea to provide ice! I might have to try that. I have 5 gallon buckets which originally stored frosting as well. I use the buckets often to store feed. The buckets have a very strong air tight lid. I have even made a feeder from one of the buckets.

 

[stargazer2014]

We've decided to put in an exhaust fan in the coop....like the kind you find in greenhouses. We have plenty of ventilation, but this will keep the hot air constantly blowing out of the coop....

in theory...

 

[MerryRobin]

Great information! Thank you Redbarn Farm for giving me the hotlink to finding it easily. We have 6 months of summer (80* degrees + 5% humidity ), 3 months of monsoons (Daily over 100* with 40% humidity) and 3 blessed months of relief (winter usually 70* degrees). I had no idea that Kentucky was that hot. I remember being in Illinois during the summer and feeling drenched all day. You gave me some ideas of what I could differently than I planned by using a misting hose on the patio and installing electrity for a fan. I'm thinking now of moving the coop to the West side of the house under a patio. The sun won't directly hit them until late afternoon. Speckled hen's idea to freeze half of the water sounds like an excellent and cheap solution too.

 

[imdamama]

Thank you for the great information!

We live in Georgia and will be getting our first chickens this Spring. As I'm designing the coop, I am curious...during the ridiculously hot spells in the summer, is there ever too much ventilation? I am considering building with large sections of removable wall with hardware cloth underneath so I can open up most of the coop during the hottest parts of the summer.

We've decided to put in an exhaust fan in the coop....like the kind you find in greenhouses. We have plenty of ventilation, but this will keep the hot air constantly blowing out of the coop....

in theory...

Stargazer, I would love to know how the exhaust fan worked for you. As I was wandering through Lowe's, I thought about adding one to the coop.

 

[centrarchid]

Do not use electrolytes in water for healthy birds. Their heat dumping systems do not rely upon sweating like ours does. More than enough salts come from feeds. Too much salt and birds are likely to have significant health issues.

 

[CGinJCMO]

Thank you for the great information!

We live in Georgia and will be getting our first chickens this Spring. As I'm designing the coop, I am curious...during the ridiculously hot spells in the summer, is there ever too much ventilation? I am considering building with large sections of removable wall with hardware cloth underneath so I can open up most of the coop during the hottest parts of the summer.

Quote:
I don't think in the summer there is "too much ventilation" problem...providing enough shade and clean water is key. I have a raised coop so they can get under for shade during the highest point of the sun.