keeping chickens cool in summer heat

[realsis]

Hi friends I just wanted to hear some ideas on how you keep your chickens cool in summer. I live in a very warm area of California. It gets over 100 most of the summer. We kept this in mind when building our chicken run and built there run under a huge shade tree. The run also has a roof so chickens are not directly in the sun. In fact there area is all shaded. I'm still worried about keeping them cool. I have been taking water and wetting each one so they don't become over heated. Does anyone else have any better ideas on how to keep them cool? I was thinking of a misting hose to mist water what do you all think of that? Any more ideas are appreciated. Thanks for reading

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

When it was 100 degrees here in Ohio last summer, I ran the hose into the dirt under their shade trees and made it all gloriously muddy. They dug holes into the cool soil and splashed in the puddles and I didn't lose a single hen.

Some people just flat-out hosed their birds off, but I don't agree with that since it causes the feathers to lose their insulating qualities and insulation can keep an animal cool as well as warm.

I would definitely put fans in the chicken coop to get the air moving. Some people make swamp coolers with wet burlap sacks to cool things down if it isn't already super humid out.

Your mister idea might work on super hot days, too. Just remember that when the humidity is too high, the water can't evaporate and will leave them hotter than ever once it warms up.

 

[hnybny91]

I live in Phoenix and it gets VERY hot here. I have already been putting a fan on them and will probably start hosing down the coop and run area very soon. It is never very humid here, just a dry heat. My chicken's egg laying is decreasing it is so hot here already.

 

[jenblossom]

Last summer, I froze water in two-liter soda bottles. I laid the frozen bottles in the run for the girls to lay beside. I also fed them very cold watermelon. Finally, I sprayed the run area with water so that their feet were muddy and cool. I've considered a wading pool for this summer. Does any one have experience or an opinion about that?

 

[chickenvillemom]

I too would be interested in others' thoughts about a wading pool. In the past, I have put a large pan of ice water in the run for the chickens to drink (in addition to their regular water), but I found that some of the chickens chose to stand and walk in it. It was only a couple of inches deep. I also use a fan in the coop, and give them cold fruit, such as watermelon.

 

[realsis]

Thanks guys those are great thoughts! The wading pool sounds interesting! I'll get the misting hose soon also! Poor things are soo hot! Even in the shade.

 

[shmccarthy]

I like to slice up chilled watermelon for them. It helps keep them cool and I haven't met a chicken that doesn't like watermelon yet.

 

[deeschicks19]

I live outside of New Orleans so it gets hot and humid here. My husband put a ceiling fan in their coop that I turn on at night and I leave the window open. It has a screen to keep out bugs.
And their yard is nothing but shade trees. We talked about getting a wade pool also if we need too. He just put an old sink outside that constantly puts fresh water in it as it gets low. That way I know for sure they always have fresh water. I like the idea about cold watermelon too. Will have to try that cuz they love anything special that I give them.

 

[Cottage Chicks]

I buy watermelon at the farmers market all summer for my four hens. We live in East Texas and have hot, hot summers. I change the water in the afternoon maybe I will frreze water bottles to put in the afternoon water to keep it cool. Our girls stay under the trees and lay low. A mister would not help in Texas but i might try a small fan in the coop at night. We did add a large screened window to the coop this spring.

 

[rpenland]

We also use some of the methods posted here like watermelon, fans and the wading pool. We only put about an inch of water in the pool (I read somewhere that chickens will sometimes cool off by standing in puddles). We also made a waterer that can be filled with ice. Here is a video that shows it:

Bob- Penland's Peeps