Not an emergency yet

[my5spuds]

Can my chickens stay out in the heat? This is our first summer season with chickens. The temp for the day is expected to be 100 degrees (in NC). My chicken coop is about 85% shade all day. I change their water out each morning (it's never empty). Is there anything else I should be doing to keep them healthy during these hot months?

 

[MotherJean]

Plenty of shade (use tarps if necessary). Fans. Freeze some water in milk jugs and put around coop/run. Hose 'em down with a fine mist (but do it early enough in the day so the ground dries out before dark). Ice cubes in the water supply. Keep a supply of Pedialyte on hand. If you suspect they're not drinking enough water or looking stressed and dehydrated, the Pedialyte will quickly replace lost electrolytes and the sugar gives them a boost.

 

[AndreaS]

Where are you in nc? I'm in orange Co, and the temperature has just been awful! This is my first year keeping chickens as well, and my approach has been almost exactly what motherjean described. I freeze soda and milk bottles full of water, and in the early morning I spray the sand in their run down with water and place the soda bottles around in the shade for them to lay against. I put a box fan at one end of the run, and fill their waterers up with ice. Yesterday I also added some electrolytes to the waterers. ( you have to be careful with the dosage on this- too much electrolytes are bad) I got durvet electrolytes from the feed store. I also have been giving them frozen fruit and watermelon as a treat.

And I put a small fan on them in their coop, since they were panting when they went up to roost at night.

Hope this helps!