Keeping chicks cool in hot weather

[Teresa D]

Any ideas for keeping chicks cool during these hot hot days? I have a window fan in one of the windows pulling air through. all windows and doors open so air can go through. Thought there might be some brilliant trick out there.
I gave them grower gell the other day and that helped them not be stressed.

 

[HappyClucker7]

You could put out a shallow container filled with water for them to stand in. You can also try putting a bottle of frozen water out there for them to rub up against, but my chickens never cared for that. A great way to keep them cool is making vegetable and fruit popsicles for them. You can blend up some greens, add some whole berries or pieces of fruit, and then freeze it. They will absolutely love to peck at it.

 

[Teresa D]

You could put out a shallow container filled with water for them to stand in. You can also try putting a bottle of frozen water out there for them to rub up against, but my chickens never cared for that. A great way to keep them cool is making vegetable and fruit popsicles for them. You can blend up some greens, add some whole berries or pieces of fruit, and then freeze it. They will absolutely love to peck at it.

I thought they couldn't have hot or cold things to eat??? or is that just while they are babies?

 

[SE WA Guy]

I just provide plenty of shade for the flock - they seem to know to just lay low and bear the ambient heat, but getting out of the direct sun was key. I also saw somebody said to freeze water bottles and put the frozen bottle into their waterers. The ice will melt eventually, but at least they get a nice cool sip when they hydrate.

We've also been giving ours extra slices of watermelon. When it's really hot out they don't know to go to the water as often as they probably should - but they go nuts over watermelon, and that's a good way to keep them happy with a favorite treat and sneaking in some extra hydration for them.

And I live in the desert of Washington, and we've had some 100 degree days here last week. We had no problems with this approach.

 

[Teresa D]

Thanks everyone I tried a tote lid with cold water and crushed ice worked great. Then it started thunder storming !

 

[Acre4Me]

Good luck.

all day access to deep shade is key. Shade cloth can help if you don’t have a roof over run or bushes, etc. shade cloth allows for of airflow, so is not the same as a tarp.

cool water- as you found out! Have more than one water station. Keep water shaded - we have a large 5 gallon galvanized waterer. We don’t move it, and it get the sun on it first thing in the morning, so we propped a large piece of OSB against the barn wall to shade it completely. We add extra bell waterers for the hot months and try to keep them shaded or we refresh the water with cool water later in the day.


you can give them wet feed if you want to make sure they are getting hydrated. Mine think it’s sn amazing treat, but just feed and water mixed -they like it soupy.

some people set up a mister area in the shade. Not all chickens like this however, so don’t take up all the shade with the mister action.

good luck!