keeping chickens cool in summer heat

[TwoCrows]

For any of you that use sand, you can cool down your chickens really easily by wetting down the sand. (and this works so much better if the run is covered so the sand stays in the shade). You know how beach sand is really cool down deep? Well when you wet your sand down, it does the same thing. I wet mine down and wait about 30 mins and then turn it all over and wet it again. In about one or two hours, the entire floor is really cool. Super cool. Even though the air temp might be 100 degrees, the sand is extremely cool to their feet. It seems to keep my girls so cool in fact they will stop panting completely on the hottest of days. Their feet will actually feel chilly standing in the cool sand. This with a fan running in the coop as well and they stay really cool on those hot days. Oh and of course lots of cool fruit to go along with this cool sand.

 

[Ladybug2001]

I've also been thinking about how to cool it down here in Oklahoma. Though first week into July and we are cooled of tremendously, it is glorious outside! 80 degree temps. Though still gonna need to do something, because we all know it won't last long. Might dig a hole and put a little tarp over it so they can splash around along with putting a fan in my one coop. Its all insulated and has reflecting roof on it, but still seems like it would get fairly hot because I didn't think to put a vent system in....

 

[grandchampchix]

I live in Ohio and when it is hot durring the summer I dunk each of my chickens in a bucket with water in it and it cools them down it also helps with feather growth and I usually only have about 25 at a time so it is easy enough to dunk them in the bucket

 

[24279102]

When I buy a watermelon or a cantaloup I leave a fair bit of meat on the rinds and freeze them. Then I put them out while they are frozen and they love it. I do the same with grapes.

 

[Mac14]

Cool thread!

 

[Whittni]

Over in Southern Utah, we're getting 115*+ weather everyday. I mist the chickens everyday in the shaded areas of their run and provide watermelon or cantaloupe.

 

[MADZ of Animal]

Great video! Good tips!

 

[EarlRRice]

Cool thread and video. Thanks.

 

[ChickenWhisper0]

it gets about 100 degrees here so, Ours have figured out if I accidentally leave the garage door open, that the concrete is nice and cool to lay on...and then i have to clean up the mess!

 

[Andiexb]

do you guys think electrolytes are important? i have a bag but it is so concentrated i drop a few crystals into the water every day.

as far as keeping my birds cool, i spray everything with water and they roll around in the mud. I also drop a few ice cubes into their water throughout the day. so far so good in muggy SoCal.