Michigan

[LoveMyChicklets]

I do the same thing as Opa but usually in the evening.

 

[RaZ]

Pruned back some raspberry canes and threw them in the run. Needless to say the berries went fast, but they also ate all of the green leaves.
Is there anything a chicken won't eat?

 

[LoveMyChicklets]

I don't think mine would eat onion. Seems to me I recall that being left in the run when I feed them leftovers. Other than that probably NOT!

 

[Stacykins]

Gosh this heat is miserable. The humidity is through the roof here, because of last night's rain, is so high that at midday, it is slightly foggy almost. It is like a haze of water vapor over the fields. If it wasn't for the AC I would be lying on the concrete basement floor. I do have a cot set up down there, since it is so nice and cool, great for naps, especially since there is a dehumidifier too.

It is kind of irritating since I REALLY want to stain the deck. But the rain and moisture, plus the oppressive heat make that not a reality until it dries up and cools off.

On the plus side, my chickens put themselves to bed on time after their bit of free ranging, and today I opened up their pen door from the start. They're mostly taking shelter from the heat, but when they feel like it, they'll all go scratch around the field for a bit then go back into the shade and cool off.

 

[chicken grandma]

My hen was determined to lay her egg in the coop. It was 100 degrees in there. When I closed the door so she could not go in there, she was frantic - running around panting and heaving. I finally put her in a crate in my air conditioned house with one of her eggs and food and water. She settled right down and sat on her egg and laid another. Sometimes I think it is best to limit their options since options seem to be very confusing for little hens!

 

[chicken grandma]

Quote:
Can you move your coop into the shade? My coop is under a large tree and if I keep the window and door open in the evening, I can get it cooled out by sunset. Tonight it was 82 degrees when I closed the coop. I set a waterer next to Bobbi on the shelf where she could reach it and I set a large frozen jug of water next to her also.

I am giving lots of fresh water in the day and lots of shade. I am also restricting her movements a bit, keeping her in a 4x6 area under the tree. Bobbi would run all over the yard after us and it is just too hot to allow her to do that!

Everyone is in the shade all day. The coop gets a couple hours of sun in the late afternoon/mid-moring but by the time the sun gets to the west side of the sky it is in shade. I keep the doors and windows open all day so it is not any warmer than the outside air at bedtime. I think they are all doing well. I don't see any of them panting so that's a good sign. I think putting the ice jug in the coop with the babies was helpful. I'm also making sure I get them out early before the sun is really up and before everything starts to heat up. I put the sprinkler on mist for them during the hottest part of the day and ice packs in the waterers to keep them cool.

That sounds similar to what I am doing and my set up here. I set the ice pack next to my hen last night also. Right next to her on the shelf where she sleeps. Then I set cold water on the other side of her. But today, as you can read on this thread, I had to scoop her up and put her in her crate in the air conditioned house. She wants to lay her egg in the exact same place every day, and today it was 100 degrees at her nest in the coop. She could not even stand to stay in there long enough to lay. Then she was running around frantic. Because evidently, it is very important to lay in the exact same place every day! Luckily, I kept the crate she was in as a youngster and it works like a charm to set her in it - in a quiet place. She feels 'at home' and 'secure' and so she settled down and laid her egg! I wish I had an indoor laying box and an outdoor laying box, because this time of year, it is just too hot to let her lay in the coop. Does anyone have any ideas about that?

 

[DaughterOfEve]

I have been running a small clip fan in the coop for the last three days. During the day pointing at the nesting boxes and at night pointed at the roosting area. Everyone seems to be holding up pretty well. Using Vital in the water too. Misting the yard during the hottest point in the day and letting them out to hide in the woods too.

 

[Stacykins]

So the light haze I thought was humidity isn't so at all! It is smoke from the forest fires in Ontario! Outside does smell slightly smokey, not overpowering, but noticeable. A special weather statement was released for the area. No fires are IN the UP, just the smoke from Canada's fires.

 

[uchytil]

Quote:
That won't be long since it's almost winter up der! (I lived in da Soo so I know).

 

[chickflick]

I put zip lock bags of ice under the broodies and they are sitting on them.. and not panting!

Trying to help them out a bit. Feel sooo sorry for the birds. So, get your ice bags filled and put em under your chickens. I was surprised they stayed on the bags.