my poor hens are sooo hot... help with tips to keep them cool..

I found that giving watermelon helps a lot! Or electrolytes in their water with vitamins. A shallow pan of water is nice also, but it takes a while for them to be brave enough to wade in it. Shade is important. I hose down the run and wet the sand inside their run. Some peope use sprinklers too.

 

Here is a new idea from my inventions:

If your coop is big enough and you have a plastic pallet,put that in the run or coop,then get empty 2 liter bottles.fill them with water and freeze overnight.then take bottles out and stick under pallet.About 6-10 bottles will do. then wet the top of the pallet.It acts as an evap cooler.Along with a fan in the coop and you just made a swamp cooler with a bird platform.

Must get pics.

 

I stocked up on bags of frozen peas - mine are kind of take it or leave it about watermelon. I go out a couple of times in the hottest part of the day and they gobble up the peas and it seems to cool them down. Same with frozen corn.

 

x2 on the watermelon... my girls LOVE it on a hot day.

 

After losing 2 chickens last year to the heat, I am using sprinklers this year. I turn the sprinkler on in the heat of the day and it goes back and forth between my 2 pens. I make sure that some area is "sprinkled" and there is some of their play area that is left dry. When it is really hot, I watch them run under the water and get sprinkled on and then retreat to the dry area. I also put a bowl of water where the sprinkler hits it...that way the water is always full, fresh and cool. We have had a week of temps over 100 here in Kansas and so far everyone has survived.

 

Index 105-109 today. The girls are in shade all day thanks to Very Large Maple. They have plenty of water. Do you think they will be okay?

 

Hello! I like to offer them chilled veggies and fruits, like watermelon and cucumbers........That's a nice, refreshing treat for them. I do have a garden though, so we have extra. I know that can be expensive.

I also take cool whip containers and I fill them with water and freeze them, making nice big ice chunks to put in their water.

My poor flock is panting, with their wings out........I feel so bad for them!

 

X3 for watermelon. My chickens' favorite treat!