Keeping Chickens Cool In a Heat Wave

[Lynn Borich]

I live in AZ and we make veggie ice pops for them. My Chickens love pecking at the ice.

Veggie ice pops are great! We use them too.

 

[Lynn Borich]

Be sure to add electrolytes to their water too!

 

[kimberley848]

I water a couple of bushes that are located inside my run (your trees?), so I water enough to make large puddles and they dig to make holes that are cool to lay in while also in the shade. Frozen treats are great, my girls love blueberries and corn. I do allow mine to free range, although only part time now (have some 12wk olds learning the ropes first), but I'll spray the grass down so they get a chance to eat wet grass, which helps the panting. I have a cherry tree that I'll allow the water to run for a while, and the girls love to wander thru the water while looking for bugs and walking in water to their feathers. Our temps have been in the upper 90's and a couple of days of 100+. I'm also leaving a window (hardware cloth covered) open in their coop at night to help alleviate some stuffiness. Electrolytes help as well. Good luck!

 

[ChickenFriends234]

Same, today I fed my chicken watermelons also.

 

[Ellie in FL]

My chickens are free range at the moment, I live in Tavernier, fl keys. Hot every day. The chickens love to live by side of house, where the ac drains out. I let it get overgrown with brush and water the ground, plus the ac units drain there. They love it. If it an overcast day, they are all in the back yard, where the feed and water is. I added another water bowl in front yard, for the flock goes to cool off. They find their own shade at my place. I try to water after they roost, so they have something to look forward to in the morning, Also I put a fan up to blow some air around a night, Hey We are all looking for cool in Summertime. Ellie

 

[Ellie in FL]

Yes the melons. I give my guys watermelon daily. Cantelope if diced smaller for the chicks. my chickens do not like the honey dew melon. no Idea why. But in Florida, we get WATERMELON year round. My chickens love it. Just a big hunk, even the chicks drink the juice. I make it a treat, Call the rooster Arthur, Melon is here, he comes running, everybody follows. Good luck and keep trying, everywhere in the country is HOT last 2 weeks of July and the 3 wee.ks of August. We are almost done with the HEAT WAVE. Good Luck with your flock

 

[CAE_ATX]

Hi, everyone! I hope this is in the right forum. Over here in Washington, we're expecting a heatwave 90+ degrees Fahrenheit this weekend. My chickens aren't used to heat like that. Usually for them, when it hits 70 degrees Fahrenheit, they start panting. I know chickens are pretty good at adjusting, but I'm pretty worried about how they'll be able to handle this heat. Does anyone have some tips on keeping them nice and cool? Their run and coop are situated under two massive cedars, so I think they'll get a good amount of shade. I'm also planning on putting ice in their water and refilling it often...but do you have any other suggestions? Also, would it be better to free-range them during the heatwave so they can find their own places to stay cool? Thanks!

I live in south central Texas and it has been getting over 100 several days in a row. I’ve done a lot of research on this and my own trial and error. This is what has worked for me- I don’t free range because of predators. I have construction sand in the bottom of the coop, they tend to hang in there at the hottest times. I’ve put out a construction sized fan to blow the air through the run into the coop to circulate. At the hottest time of the day, I switch the water out with a fresh one with lots of ice cubes in it (they love this). I also take out frozen watermelon rinds at the same time. I read that if your humidity is high, avoid misters, which ours is so I can’t speak to that method. I had considered the frozen water bottles. I think that’s a great idea, I’m going to try that next. I’m new to chicken keeping too, what a time to start! I feel bad when it’s blazing out but they seem to be ok.

 

[Farmall Happy]

Hi, everyone! I hope this is in the right forum. Over here in Washington, we're expecting a heatwave 90+ degrees Fahrenheit this weekend. My chickens aren't used to heat like that. Usually for them, when it hits 70 degrees Fahrenheit, they start panting. I know chickens are pretty good at adjusting, but I'm pretty worried about how they'll be able to handle this heat. Does anyone have some tips on keeping them nice and cool? Their run and coop are situated under two massive cedars, so I think they'll get a good amount of shade. I'm also planning on putting ice in their water and refilling it often...but do you have any other suggestions? Also, would it be better to free-range them during the heatwave so they can find their own places to stay cool? Thanks!

We put a fan on the chickens when it's 90 degrees or above or overly humid. The fan helps dry the poop and thus reduces odor. Neighborly thing to do.

 

[Joe Strummer]

Hi, everyone! I hope this is in the right forum. Over here in Washington, we're expecting a heatwave 90+ degrees Fahrenheit this weekend. My chickens aren't used to heat like that. Usually for them, when it hits 70 degrees Fahrenheit, they start panting. I know chickens are pretty good at adjusting, but I'm pretty worried about how they'll be able to handle this heat. Does anyone have some tips on keeping them nice and cool? Their run and coop are situated under two massive cedars, so I think they'll get a good amount of shade. I'm also planning on putting ice in their water and refilling it often...but do you have any other suggestions? Also, would it be better to free-range them during the heatwave so they can find their own places to stay cool? Thanks!

In Sydney (Australia) our summers are becoming unbearable so at night we have a stack of takeaway containers full of ice in their coop. This keeps the girls cool at night but during the day things are different. Constantly putting ice cubes in water containers around the garden (they're free range during the day) helps. Frozen fruit is also good though it can leave piles of wet poo on the verandah. Watering any spots where they tend to congregate is good as it means the ground stays cool the next day and drenching the grass under their coop ensures the area is a bit cooler. The final straw when it's 47 degrees centigrade, we bring the girls into the kitchen which has AC. The cats are a bit bemused though.

 

[Onyxflock]

An idea I just read is frozen milk jugs with holes on bottom. As the ice melts it keep a puddle of cool water they can dig into. I'm going to try it. The ice in their water works pretty well, but heatwave #5 at 102+ here in So Cal High Desert. I started limiting their free range by fencing them in areas I know are coolest. It seemed they would run all around lookung for a cooler spot, but there is nowhere else. Always a puddle or mist of water is welcome in the coop!