Official BYC Poll: Do you use electrolytes in your chickens' water during the summer?

[Eggs_Over_EZ]

We built two hoop coops that have tall trees for shade. We flip up the tarps on the side once direct sun passes. We make sure they have fresh water daily even if buckets are still almost full. Watermelon rinds and chopped tomatoes are provided for refreshment periodically. It is hot here. Been in 90’s since early May and sometimes high 90’s that feels like over 100.

 

[Possum-Pie]

I'm seeing some good advice and some not-so-good. Chickens don't sweat like humans to perform evaporative cooling-they pant. Panting (in humans and chickens) cools us. However they DO lose electrolytes in the heat. They drink more water when hot, thus peeing out more water (and electrolytes). Supplemental electrolytes can reverse this, in moderation.
The electrolytes they lose the most in heat conditions are Sodium, Chloride, potassium (essential for heart function), and magnesium.

I'm not going to suggest how much electrolytes to add to your birds' water b/c I'm not a vet, but Ahmad, et al. recommended 0.6% (22 grams of potassium chloride per 1 gallon of water).

Offering fresh greens will add potassium to their diet, one of the most important electrolytes. Bananas supply potassium and magnesium, but that can get expensive to feed a large chicken flock! Putting salt in their water would improve their sodium levels, but potassium chloride is a much better choice than "table" salt. Probably not a good idea to give chickens Gatorade (way too much sugar) - It's not really healthy for humans much less poultry.

Ahmad, Tanveer & Khalid, Tehseen & Mushtaq, Tariq & Mirza, M. & Nadeem, Asif & Babar, Masroor & Ahmed, Gulraiz. (2008). Effect of Potassium Chloride Supplementation in Drinking Water on Broiler Performance Under Heat Stress Conditions. Poultry science. 87. 1276-80. 10.3382/ps.2007-00299.

 

[Loving my girls]

When it gets to 30c (86f) in the shade I give electrolytes every week to everything that moves. Us, dogs, cats and my girlz.

When it gets over 35c I change it to twice a week.

Not gallons of course I limit the amounts depending on the species.
I also have different recipes for each species.

If it gets into the 40s everything becomes way more complicated.

 

[Possum-Pie]

When it gets to 30c (86f) in the shade I give electrolytes every week to everything that moves. Us, dogs, cats and my girlz.

When it gets over 35c I change it to twice a week.

Not gallons of course I limit the amounts depending on the species.
I also have different recipes for each species.

If it gets into the 40s everything becomes way more complicated.

Electrolytes are water-soluble. They are quickly excreted if too much is present in the bloodstream, mainly through urine.
Being water soluble, any intake above the needed amount for body function is passed through the kidneys and peed out. a weekly or bi-weekly dose of any electrolytes would help an immediate case of hyponatremia (low sodium) or hypokalemia (low potassium) but wouldn't be stored for days in the body. Most animals and humans don't experience electrolyte imbalance unless they have severe diarrhea or prolonged exposure to severe heat/strenuous activity. The electrolytes in our/their food are usually plenty. I know some folks here are opposed to commercial poultry feed, but most quality feed has plenty of sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, and other electrolytes to get a flock through the summer.

If dehydration is suspected, dosing with electrolytes will be beneficial, but any excess will be excreted in the urine within hours not days. If long periods of excessive heat occur, it is better to put low-dose electrolytes in the animals' water supply so they have a constant source rather than a moderate dose every few days.

Here in the Eastern U.S. we are in the middle of a LONG heat wave (33C/92F) up to near 100F. Chickens definitely are stressed by that. I offer cold fruit, "wading pools" and plenty of shade.

 

[Clukcluks]

What do you mean? Chickens peck at the dirt to search for and uncover hidden food, as well as eating dirt because dirt is a type of grit for their crop.

Can you please explain what you mean about "dirt being a type of grit for their crop". I'm new to the chicken world and my run is all reasonably clean dirt. I will be introducing my new flock of 5 to this new floor. Do you have any suggestions for me as to what I should be using in the run. I'm considering sand in the coop for bedding, just for clean up purposes. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[K0k0shka]

Can you please explain what you mean about "dirt being a type of grit for their crop". I'm new to the chicken world and my run is all reasonably clean dirt. I will be introducing my new flock of 5 to this new floor. Do you have any suggestions for me as to what I should be using in the run. I'm considering sand in the coop for bedding, just for clean up purposes. Thanks for your thoughts.

Dirt is not a kind of grit for their crop, not at all. Grit is rocks, and they have to be the right size and material - hard, sturdy rocks that can withstand the constant grinding in the gizzard. That’s why commercial grit is granite, not just any rock. If you use just any rock, and it’s the right size particles, that can work too, the chickens would just have to replace it more often if it doesn’t withstand the grinding for long. Some soil types are rockier than others, so it’s no guarantee that because your chickens are on soil, they’ll have enough grit for digestion. Commercial grit is cheap and a bag will last you a long time. There’s no good reason not to provide them with proper grit in a bowl, just in case.

 

[Clukcluks]

Dirt is not a kind of grit for their crop, not at all. Grit is rocks, and they have to be the right size and material - hard, sturdy rocks that can withstand the constant grinding in the gizzard. That’s why commercial grit is granite, not just any rock. If you use just any rock, and it’s the right size particles, that can work too, the chickens would just have to replace it more often if it doesn’t withstand the grinding for long. Some soil types are rockier than others, so it’s no guarantee that because your chickens are on soil, they’ll have enough grit for digestion. Commercial grit is cheap and a bag will last you a long time. There’s no good reason not to provide them with proper grit in a bowl, just in case.

So this is something they eat for there digestive track

 

[K0k0shka]

So this is something they eat for there digestive track

Birds don't have teeth to chew their food with, so instead they grind it up inside their gizzards, using rocks. The harder the rocks, the better, because they'll last longer and won't disintegrate from all the grinding. But the rocks have to be the right size - not too small, and not too large. Chickens know the correct size rock to eat, if they have access to it. Commercial grit is made from granite, which is a hard rock, and is crushed to the correct size particles. All chickens need to have access to grit in one form or another - whether naturally from the ground, or supplied by the owner. And since it's hard to judge whether your soil has the right size and type of rocks, in enough quantity, it's always better to provide your chickens with a bowl of commercial grit (offered separately from their feed) just in case. The chickens will know how much and when to eat from the grit.