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Newbie from Minnesota! Hot weather tips??

Discussion in 'New Member Introductions' started by MNChickenChick, Jun 9, 2016.

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  1. Jun 9, 2016 #1
    MNChickenChick

    MNChickenChick Hatching

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    Jun 9, 2016
    Minnesota
    Hi Everyone! I am new to this whole chicken thing! I grew up raising ducks for 4-H but never got into chickens! It has always been my dream to have laying hens and my husband made that dream come true for me when he decided he was going to build me a beautiful chicken coop! We have 12 beautiful laying hens that are about 2 months old now. I ordered a variety from a local feed store and I am still clueless on what breed some of the hens are [​IMG] I guess I will learn as time goes on! I made sure that I ordered cold and heat hardy birds though since Minnesota weather can be kind of crazy! I am completely obsessed with them already and can see that this is going to be a life long hobby for me [​IMG] I searched this site religiously when we were contemplating adding chickens to our hobby farm and I just decided that it was time for me to make an account and become part of the community! It is going to be a hot hot hot weekend here in Minnesota, does anyone have any good tips on keeping the chickens cool during extreme heat?! I'm worried about them!
     

  4. Jun 10, 2016 #2
    Pork Pie Ken

    Pork Pie Ken Flockless Premium Member

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    Hi and welcome to BYC - glad that you have joined us. Ensuring that your birds have access to shade, adding ice to drinking water, and giving fruit such as water melon / grapes can help in cooling them down a little. Fans could be used for the coop also. If you type "how to keep chickens cool" in the search box, there should be some threads that will pop up.

    You can post photos of your chicks in the What Breed or Gender is This? for advice as to exactly what breeds you have.

    More generally, you'll find lots of info in the Learning Centre
    https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center, and if you have a specific topic in mind, just type it in the search box - there's a wealth of information on past and present threads.

    You may wish to consider joining your state thread as it will put you in touch with other BYC members in your area - https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you - they could also make suggestions on how to keep your chickens cool during hot spells.

    All the best
    CT
     
  6. Jun 10, 2016 #3
    jackandnick

    jackandnick In the Brooder

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    May 4, 2016
    Colorado
    Hi, glad to have you! I lived in MN growing up. Now I'm in Colorado. A friend just wrote to me today to tell me it was going to be in the 90's there! I suppose the humidity won't help. I live at a high altitude and so the sun is intense even when the temps are not. My chicken coop can get into the 90's. I have it vented and my chickens love to lounge under the coop in the shade. They are great at finding cool places to nap. I have Buff Orpingtons. [​IMG]
     
  8. Jun 10, 2016 #4
    drumstick diva

    drumstick diva Still crazy after all these years. Premium Member

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    Out to pasture
    if you have very shallow pans - like a cake or brownie pan - you can put water in them. Often chickens like to stand it in. Cool feel = cooler bird.
     
  10. Jun 10, 2016 #5
    BantamFan4Life

    BantamFan4Life LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO. Premium Member

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    Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us! :)
     
  12. Jun 10, 2016 #6
    sumi

    sumi Égalité Staff Member

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    Rep of Ireland
    Welcome to BYC [​IMG] Glad you joined us! Before I moved to Ireland, we stayed in a semi-desert region in South Africa where summer afternoons hit us with 120F and more some days. I never lost a bird to the heat, amazingly! We made sure they had loads of shade and I also put the hose down in their run on the hotter days and let it run until they had a good size muddy pool to walk around in. That helped them a lot! Also make sure they have lots of water to drink at all times and if you want to give them a treat, fill a brownie pan with some sweetcorn and water and freeze that for them. They will love you forever.
     
  14. Jun 10, 2016 #7
    TwoCrows

    TwoCrows Show me the way old friend Staff Member

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    Hello there and welcome to BYC! [​IMG]

    Lots of shade. I use fans and hose down the run or area they are hanging out in. Evaporating air is cool air. It makes a big difference. I have a big turbo fan and the chickens will all sit down, lined up in front of it. LOL When a chickens feet are cool, they are as well. So keep the ground cool they are standing on. Cool treats help too....watermelon, grapes, cantaloupe, cool greens...cools their cores down.

    Good luck and we do welcome you to our flock!
     

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