My poor chickens :(

[eggcetra_farms]

What's up with this weather? Half of us were getting flooded (I was in that half) and half of us were/are in drought. Now this crazy humid heat..... In San Antonio right now it's 91, the heat index is at 97 and the humidity is at 50%. This is considered a "nice" day. Ugh! I feel so bad for everyone in the triple digits. I know how that is.

 

[Southern28Chick]

Mine hate to be sprayed with the hose but they stop panting for a little after so I know it's helping them. My roo doesn't mind getting sprayed at all. When/if it rains he stands outside getting soaked.

 

[RioLindoAz]

wen my sprinklers go on my chickens jump up and flap their wings, I don't know if they like it or not but it looks like it.

 

[jenichick]

Yesterday I got home and found all my chickens panting like dogs, laying in the coop being very still. They had water but it was very warm. I fill both waterers with cold water and in the process created a mud puddle in the run. They all came running out and waded in the cool water and some even laid down in it. I sprayed the run down with a mist and a few ran into it and back out again like children playing in a sprinkler. They were much more active and happy afterwards. It's gonna be 101 again today....so DH is going home at luch to cool them off for me!!!

 

[Wolfpacker]

89 at 9AM here in Raleigh. Heat index already at 98!

My girls seem to be handling this pretty well. They've learned to love refridgerated sliced grapes and iced water. They do NOT like to be misted.

 

[okiechick57]

Oh my gosh.this heat is horrid............ I will mist my new little friends and hope they like it.............my older flock and duck and guineas free range and hang out by the pool that I refresh during the day, I feel for you all that work and cannot check on your babies during the day.

 

[bantymum]

can you try making a dustbath pit, my girls like to dustbathe on hot days. make it a nice deep round hole as the dirt is cooler down there, may help them.
Mayberry saint's chickens have got it good (under the coop)
maybe build a little shelter in the coops with dirt under so the chickens will get underneath to cool off!
good luck

 

[Southern28Chick]

Quote:
They have made their dustbath area in the shade. They just lay there though because who wants to roll around in HOT dirt. I spray that area and they love it.

Just checked the weather again 103!!!! Heat index of 105-115!!!! BUT possible isolated storms.

 

[GoodEgg]

97 to 99 here for the next couple of days ...

Everyone was panting so hard yesterday.

I give them ice water and watermelon, and I spray down the run. They tend to group up and try to avoid the heaviest of the water falling, but they don't really panic. As soon as I finish, they all run all over the wet grass and dig in it and lay on it. I really think it helps them too. I've been doing that on hot days since they were 4 weeks old (about 9-10 weeks now).

They still spend most of the hot part of the day in the coop. I give shade in the run, but the coop is cooler. I'm glad I did that right in building it, since i messed up most everything else, LOL. I'm looking into running a fan out there for them too, if they look any worse than they did yesterday.

Come on, autumn!!!

trish