Keeping my chicken cool in this summer heat?!

[spaule353]

Hi friends!

This is my first summer with my chickens! I live in Southern California, desert area. My poor babies look hot! Today it was 100 degrees.. I would love to hear some idea on how to keep them comfortable. My poor black giants walk around with their wings all loose, and most are panting. Not sure if this is normal or not... :/ I love my chickens unconditionally they are family now so I want to help them in every way possible.

I have 3 Rhode Islands, 3 eggers, and 3 black giants.

P.s. I am loving being a chicken parent! They are absolutely hilarious I could watch them for hours!!

Thank you Friends!!!

 

[LRH97]

Hello! Here in Southern Illinois, it is in the upper 80s and pretty darn humid. All my birds are panting during the day, and yes it is normal for them to hold their wings out from their bodies. (They do this to get rid of some body heat) While some breeds are more heat tolerant than others, here are a few basic tips on keeping your birds cool. Provide shade. I myself let the chickens out to free range when it's hot so they can get under trees and shrubs during the hottest part of the day. I don't have any trees within the fence but we have fashioned some pallets to provide cover from the sun. Move waterers into shady areas to keep the water cool. The next two are very important. Make sure your coop has adequate ventilation. Air should move through the coop. I have also hung box fans on the walls when it gets very hot here. And make sure cool, clean water is available at all times. Have fun!

 

[Teila]

Howdy spaule353 and Welcome to BYC

Living in Aus, my gals also have to deal with some hot days.

I agree with LRH97 in that shade, fresh water and adequate ventilation are a must.

I have a mister system on the run but I use this sparingly as the added humidity can be a haven for unwanted germs.

Damping the dirt either in the run or in a shady spot in the garden also seems to work as they like to lay on the damp earth to keep cool.

Watermelon is always a good treat on a hot day and helps to keep them hydrated.

I have also put in a bowl of cold water with frozen peas and corn in it; the peas and corn help keep the water cool and my gals enjoy bobbing for the treats which might just take their mind off the heat also.

I recently saw a thread where the OP actually made frozen vegie popsicles in a muffin tray:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/887253/frozen-corn-treats-to-beat-the-summer-heat

I am definitely giving that a try next summer

 

[azygous]

Being in the desert, you can safely use a mister system with no worries of bacteria or mold. So that's a MUST!

You can also drench the ground and create an additional evaporative effect, lowing the air temp an additional ten degrees if you can't afford a mister.

Try freezing fruit or canned corn in a block of ice for the chickens to chip away at. They'll work on it all day to get to the treats frozen in the block.