(Not a dire emergency, but need advice) What to do for my flock and the heat?

[CrazyCochin]

Hello, I need help and advice, it is 9 o'clock and in the 80s, what can I do to prevent losing our hens?
Just like us, they are not dealing well with the heat, they are panting and holding their wings open. They have two large water buckets in their run, I moved both into the shade, but should I put one more in the henhouse?

 

[KahKaDoodleDo22]

I need help with this too! I bought bags of ice from the store and put that in their water, sprayed the run down, put blocks of frozen water with fruit in them for today but I’m afraid for tomorrow!!!

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Sounds like y'all are doing everything you can. It's now getting into the 90s around here...what I do is change the water out periodically (so that it's not hot) and add ice to help keep it cool. Making sure their water is in the shade is a must as well.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

@aart @penny1960
1. get electrolytes - Rooster Booster, Chick Quick start etc.....
2. get a fan going, they need air circulation

We have been chatting about this here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-keep-chickens-cool-in-upcoming-heat-wave.1477756/

Also look at these
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/788391/keeping-chickens-cool-in-summer-heat

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/topic-of-the-week-keeping-chickens-cool-in-summer.1181934/

 

[Ebony Rose]

They're going to need 'deep' shade. If you don't have trees on your property sufficiently dense enough to provide this, you can make do with a sheet of zinc roofing material that you can lean against their coop, a tree, another out-building, etc., in a lean-to fashion.

You can further ease their discomfort by cooling their water with repurposed gallon-sized milk jugs with the screw on lid or the large 2-liter plastic soda bottles with lid that you fill with water at night and stick into your freezer, and in the morning/afternoon place these jugs into their water bucket(s) with the lid still securely fastened. Not only will the water be delightfully cool to drink for hours, but your flock may decide to snuggle up to the cool water buckets as well. As you're putting your flock to bed, gather up the now-melted ice block containers, rinse off the outside of the jugs and put them back into the freezer overnight for use the next day.

I live in Central America in a tiny country called Panama. It's hot and humid year-round here. I use these tactics to make my flock more comfortable during the worst heat of the year.

 

[KahKaDoodleDo22]

@aart
1. get electrolytes - Rooster Booster, Chick Quick start etc.....
2. get a fan going, they need air circulation

We have been chatting about this here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-keep-chickens-cool-in-upcoming-heat-wave.1477756/

Also look at these
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/788391/keeping-chickens-cool-in-summer-heat

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/topic-of-the-week-keeping-chickens-cool-in-summer.1181934/

Thanks you will check out!!

 

[KahKaDoodleDo22]

They're going to need 'deep' shade. If you don't have trees on your property sufficiently dense enough to provide this, you can make do with a sheet of zinc roofing material that you can lean against their coop, a tree, another out-building, etc., in a lean-to fashion.

You can further ease their discomfort by cooling their water with repurposed gallon-sized milk jugs with the screw on lid or the large 2-liter plastic soda bottles with lid that you fill with water at night and stick into your freezer, and in the morning/afternoon place these jugs into their water bucket(s) with the lid still securely fastened. Not only will the water be delightfully cool to drink for hours, but your flock may decide to snuggle up to the cool water buckets as well. As you're putting your flock to bed, gather up the now-melted ice block containers, rinse off the outside of the jugs and put them back into the freezer overnight for use the next day.

I live in Central America in a tiny country called Panama. It's hot and humid year-round here. I use these tactics to make my flock more comfortable during the worst heat of the year.

This is awesome thank you!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I've been saving soft drink bottles, filling them half full wiith water and freezing them. Then fill with water, put the caps on and float them in the chickens' water buckets to help their water stay cool. I keep them in the downstairs deep freeze in a recycled grocery bag so they don't contaminate frozen food. I need three a day, so I have six bottles that I rotate.

 

[Bobby Merrick]

I use the empty water bottles the same way you do. I think its a great idea, they don't melt as fast as ice cubes.

 

[CrazyCochin]

Thank you so much, for all these suggestions, I feel terrible, because we have no AC, so I doubt the hens feel much better!

but I’m afraid for tomorrow!!!

Me too, I hope they all are okay.

I have put two large crockpot bowls in the henhouse, should that do?
Or should I go down and put ice bottles in their buckets in the hen house?