Keeping chickens cool in the summer?

[aatx]

We just added another shade tarp. Got a good deal on a remnant. Added our own grommets. We keep a water heater pan full of water for them to wade in.

 

[leedle1965]

I freeze water bottles and throw them in a 9X13 pan with some water in it. They love drinking the ice water and walking across the bottles. They also like eating the frost off the bottles when I first take them outside. I have a wading pool for them but they don't use it. I also hose down the chicken run so the dirt is damp so it stays cooler. They have a sandbox to play in that I hose down too.

 

[leedle1965]

I sure wish I could. We have too many preditors. I made sure our chicken run was big though. It's 12 by 24. I have covered part of it and it has a wading pool, tree, swing, sandbox, and things to climb on. Now to figure out if I can plant bushes right in the run.

 

[NurseChicky]

We purchased a small window AC for the coop to keep them cool at night. My husband says, next thing we know they'll be ordering pizza delivery and a tv and won't come out of the coop. Love my chicks. We got it from Walmart for $100. Spent more than that on feed and housing for them.

 

[NurseChicky]

My girls are fortunately in the shade. It was 100 here yesterday. I did put a fan on them and gave them pans of blueberry and snap pea popcicles. They loved it!

 

[ekavi]

Yup our chicks give us eggs and we give them pizza. lololol

 

[jtn42248]

We just added another shade tarp. Got a good deal on a remnant. Added our own grommets. We keep a water heater pan full of water for them to wade in.

Think you are not that far from us in Coleman County Texas. Just off US 84 at CR 478. We are doing everything suggested here and then some (have not bought them an AC unit yet) and it is still hotter than ... The chickens, adult ducks and geese manage even though they are obviously suffering in the heat. But, I have 18 4 wk old ducklings in a nursery and they are the ones really taking the beating. We are trying to get a larger duck coop finished as fast as we can so that they will at least have more room to suffer in. Now they are forecasting triple digit temps for us next week. I may just have to bring everyone inside and we will move out to the barn.

 

[aatx]

Think you are not that far from us in Coleman County Texas. Just off US 84 at CR 478. We are doing everything suggested here and then some (have not bought them an AC unit yet) and it is still hotter than ... The chickens, adult ducks and geese manage even though they are obviously suffering in the heat. But, I have 18 4 wk old ducklings in a nursery and they are the ones really taking the beating. We are trying to get a larger duck coop finished as fast as we can so that they will at least have more room to suffer in. Now they are forecasting triple digit temps for us next week. I may just have to bring everyone inside and we will move out to the barn.

We're north east of you, just outside Stephenville. Some panting, but the chicks seem to be holding up pretty well. Shade, water, cross breeze in the coop... that's working okay so far, with frozen bottles as a bonus occasionally. I need to figure out a way to hang a rope or chain in the coop to hang a bottle above the shavings.

 

[desertchicken92]

I tried NurseChicky's pan idea except I used frozen peas and corn, and some chopped celery and combined it with ice and water. I also have an old frying pan full of water (had ice in it) plus I put a frozen milk jug in there. I've also hooked a sprinkler up to cool their coop and run. Supposed to hit almost 100 here in Terrebonne, Oregon. Poor girls... I'm especially worried for my Norwegian Jaerhon and Ameracauna, I know the california greys might bear it a lil better. But still.

 

[LindaB220]

I freeze water bottles and throw them in a 9X13 pan with some water in it. They love drinking the ice water and walking across the bottles. They also like eating the frost off the bottles when I first take them outside. I have a wading pool for them but they don't use it. I also hose down the chicken run so the dirt is damp so it stays cooler. They have a sandbox to play in that I hose down too.

This is a nifty idea. It's so hot in La that ice melts pretty quick. A nice size pan will go down really well.