Keeping Chickens Cool In a Heat Wave

[Spikeandbean]

Those are dust baths! They roll around in them, putting the dust on their feathers, to keep cool and clean (ironic, right?).
I hope you see this despite the fact it is very late

Yeah, I got that. Just pointing out the joys of diggability! (Growing up, our horses loved dirt and mud for sun and fly protection!)

 

[Castlewood]

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.

Hey @CAE_ATX --another fellow ATX chicken keeper here! Curious where have you sourced your chicks?

 

[Starburst]

Thank you everyone for all of your amazing advice! Thanks to all of your ideas, my chickens did well in the heatwave and are now quite healthy and happy. Thanks again!

 

[CAE_ATX]

Hey @CAE_ATX --another fellow ATX chicken keeper here! Curious where have you sourced your chicks?

I went to the blue star chicken lady but I’m not sure I’d go back. I bought 3 hens and 3 pullets. She told me some of her hens had already started laying-the ones I got were sold (at a premium) as laying age but I didn’t get any eggs for 4 months. Of the hens, one was always cowering down and the other 2 surrounding her. I thought maybe it was a change in location and she was upset, however she was sickly. Within 2 weeks of having them I went to the vet and had to treat for respiratory infection (all of them) and the older ones had viral pox. That one chicken never got better so had to cull her.
Most of my neighbors get theirs from Callahans. I’ll do that next time. Where do you get yours?

Hey @CAE_ATX --another fellow ATX chicken keeper here! Curious where have you sourced your chicks?

Hey @CAE_ATX --another fellow ATX chicken keeper here! Curious where have you sourced your chicks?

 

[Castlewood]

I went to the blue star chicken lady but I’m not sure I’d go back. I bought 3 hens and 3 pullets. She told me some of her hens had already started laying-the ones I got were sold (at a premium) as laying age but I didn’t get any eggs for 4 months. Of the hens, one was always cowering down and the other 2 surrounding her. I thought maybe it was a change in location and she was upset, however she was sickly. Within 2 weeks of having them I went to the vet and had to treat for respiratory infection (all of them) and the older ones had viral pox. That one chicken never got better so had to cull her.
Most of my neighbors get theirs from Callahans. I’ll do that next time. Where do you get yours?

Whew. Similar story here with Blue Star, and we'll never go back to her either. In fact, we are now dissuading people, which is sad because we really wanted to support an independent local chicken source. But of the 15 birds we've gotten from her (all as 1-2 month old pullets, in two different purchase "batches"), only 5 remain. We've gotten 6 from TSC, all are still alive & very strong. Maybe that's luck, but there are enough factors to make us believe otherwise. We got two pullets from Callahan's once; both died within a week of bringing them home, which we chalk that up to them not being healthy in the first place & us just being too ignorant to know better.

We've recently found a new source down on the coast near Galveston, Seabreeze Hens. These chicks (+ two 2mo pullets) are vaccinated & thus far seem healthy...I'll keep you posted how they fare.

 

[CAE_ATX]

Whew. Similar story here with Blue Star, and we'll never go back to her either. In fact, we are now dissuading people, which is sad because we really wanted to support an independent local chicken source. But of the 15 birds we've gotten from her (all as 1-2 month old pullets, in two different purchase "batches"), only 5 remain. We've gotten 6 from TSC, all are still alive & very strong. Maybe that's luck, but there are enough factors to make us believe otherwise. We got two pullets from Callahan's once; both died within a week of bringing them home, which we chalk that up to them not being healthy in the first place & us just being too ignorant to know better.

We've recently found a new source down on the coast near Galveston, Seabreeze Hens. These chicks (+ two 2mo pullets) are vaccinated & thus far seem healthy...I'll keep you posted how they fare.

Awesome! Thank you for this info. I will check out sea breeze and tsc! This is my first flock so I appreciate the recommendations!

 

[Castlewood]

Awesome! Thank you for this info. I will check out sea breeze and tsc! This is my first flock so I appreciate the recommendations!

We're still total noobs, too, only been at this for a year. Another resource you'll want to know about is the A&M vet diagnostic lab, where you can send birds for necropsy to determine cause of death. Far cheaper than taking them to a vet for a necropsy, and the lab in Gonzales is only an hour away + has incredibly nice & helpful staff. btw which vet did you use for your sick bird?

 

[Chicken586]

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 put ice cubes in there water and give them frozen yogurt.

 

[FML]

Hi. My girls, four Rhode Island Reds hens hatched in February, are doing fine during the day dealing with the heat.
However, they are refusing to go to their roosts to sleep at night. They are all bedding down outside in the cooler dirt. I run a fan constantly in the roost, but it's been warmer in the evenings here in Central Florida.
Any suggestions?
And thoughts on letting them stay out in their run, which short of a black bear, is a fort.