Keeping them cool in summer

[Seaecho]

I just put several ice cubes trays with fruit and water into the freezer, and I just watered down part of the 3-way hay (oat, wheat and barley) that is in the chicken run, thinking they'd steer clear of it. I've read chickens hate getting wet. Wrong! At least with my flock. Droplets were sprinkled on my Silkie as I watered, and she seemed to like it! Didn't move away. Right after I finished, all three hens had gone over to the wet hay and were laying down in it! So I sprinkled mealworms on it to reinforce the behavior. Here in the high desert, I was worried about keeping the chooks cool, and now it seems I have several methods that should help.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I use my garden hose hanging on their pen as a mister. It takes a couple of minutes to adjust with varying water pressure. . I also wet down their run and provide a shallow pan of water that they can walk through. I dump and refill several times daily when temps reach nineties. GC

 

[Seaecho]

That's an excellent idea!

 

[GC-Raptor]

It took a few minutes for them to get the idea, that hey it's cool under the mist. . I also have a fan blow air under the roosts on warm nights. . GC

 

[sassysarah]

I really love this article by @alexa009 .
There are a lot of good tips in it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/8-tips-how-to-keep-your-chickens-cool-this-summer.72806/

 

[Doc7]

Is this for the chickens health or the owners perspective of the Chickens mood?

The reason I ask is obviously a person working 7 AM to 5 PM isn’t refilling water buckets with ice water several times a day as I often see in threads about hot weather.

Do the chickens really need it? It seems like a way to show extra affection to your chickens, but if they would become ill or dead from hot weather I am unsure how they became a ubiquitous livestock thousands of years ago.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I do it because I can. My girls dig holes in the shade and dust bathe in the cool dirt. , and drink lots of water.
Some breeds are more heat tolerant than others.
Why didn't I get heat hardy chickens? Because temps range from -15F to 100F. Both are extreme. But do happen a couple of times a year. GC

 

[Tesumph]

I had a hen die of heat stroke. She could’ve come to a cooler part of the barn but she stayed in the hot part, I’m not sure why. We also used our hose as a mister propped up at the top of the run. You have to spray the hot water out in the morning but if you bury the rest of the hose or put it in the shade, the stream should stay coldish.