Keeping them cool on a hot day?

[chickens45]

I have a plastic water feeder for them that I put a frozen water bottle in but still end up changing water 2-3 times a day when it’s hot, even in the shade.
I froze them a snack of peas and sunflower seeds in a block of ice but they didn’t seem to care much for it.
They don’t seem to like watermelon.
They have a nice shady area but I think they still get hot.

I put a little pan of water in their run thinking they might like to splash in it but they didn’t seem to like it

I let them free range a few hours every day and they have several shady spots they like to hunker down in or roll around in

Any more ideas for how to keep them cool on hot days?

 

[Ebony Rose]

I use a shallow rubbermaid tote that I fill with water and add one construction block (to weight it and give them a safe space if they're having issues getting out), and half-gallon chunks of ice that I freeze in those plastic shoeboxes that you can buy at the dollar store. As the ice melts, the water is cool and fresh for drinking and my girls like to hunker up next to the tote to cool off.

 

[The Happster]

I put ice in their water, and make sure they have plenty of shade and fresh water.
Water gets murky very quickly in hot weather, so I refresh it often.
And frozen foods too.

 

[TheLawandGrace]

What I do is I put an electrolyte in their hanging water container with 2 ice trays of cubed ice. I put little water from the hose in the container and the rest the ice so it stays cooler longer. I only have 7 chickens so they don’t drink it all by the time I fill it up with ice again. It’s been super hot here in the DFW lately so every few hours I put more Ice in their drinking container. I also have 4 blocks of blue ice. I have 2 in the freezer and 2 in their coop. They love it. They’ll sit on it or near it while a box fan blows on them from outside the coop. I also give them frozen treats. I buy some cheap corn that’s still in the husk and freeze it and give it to them and they love it. When we buy watermelons we leave some in the Rhine and put it the fridge and the next day when it’s hot I give that to them and they go nuts! I’ve also sprayed them down with the water hose and the inside of the coop. They run from it but I guarantee you they thank me when it’s over!

 

[TheLawandGrace]

I forgot to mention I switch out the blue ice every 3 hours or so. It stays pretty cool actually for awhile. The temp in the coop says 90-91 but surprisingly it stays cool awhile

 

[RebelChief]

Now you all have me thinking....I need to incorporate more cooling for mine. I did build them a water set up with a huge cooler that I can add ice to. I added 20 lbs of ice today and they really seemed to like the cooler water.

 

[CatsandCrops]

I use a shallow rubbermaid tote that I fill with water and add one construction block (to weight it and give them a safe space if they're having issues getting out), and half-gallon chunks of ice that I freeze in those plastic shoeboxes that you can buy at the dollar store. As the ice melts, the water is cool and fresh for drinking and my girls like to hunker up next to the tote to cool off.

How did you get them to actually go in it? or do they just sit next to it? I did something similar and they are scared of it and don't even attempt to go in. Some of them peck at the water but nothing else really

 

[Ebony Rose]

Most choose to not go in, but they adore hunkering up next to the tote and drinking the cold water. I put the construction block in just in case someone decides to take a swim. (It's happened).

 

[K85trb]

I gave mine some yogurt, and puréed frozen watermelon and berries. They did not like the tray of water I put out for them to walk in.

 

[sayccrn]

I have a plastic water feeder for them that I put a frozen water bottle in but still end up changing water 2-3 times a day when it’s hot, even in the shade.
I froze them a snack of peas and sunflower seeds in a block of ice but they didn’t seem to care much for it.
They don’t seem to like watermelon.
They have a nice shady area but I think they still get hot.

I put a little pan of water in their run thinking they might like to splash in it but they didn’t seem to like it

I let them free range a few hours every day and they have several shady spots they like to hunker down in or roll around in

Any more ideas for how to keep them cool on hot days?

Same! Following! Mine seem to rather suffer than partake in cooling down. I even made them a smoothie with ice and frozen berries, they walked through it.