Oregon

[chickerdoodle]

Hey you folks in the Portland area! Are you all prepared for the heat this next few days? May get close to or even hit 100!

This is my first summer caring for our five lovely pullets. We live in the Cedar Hills area near Beaverton. They have a 50 foot totally roofed sand run with lots of shade. I plan on misting the sand in the AM and maybe a a few times if needed. I can place a fan toward part of it and I already added another water station. We have their windows in the henhouse open (they are covered with hardware cloth so its safe). With all this I still worry as it came on so suddenly. Perhaps some ice too?

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Hi Chickerdoodle. I'm in Forest Grove. I have a covered run in the shade as well, but the girls were panting today. I put a large plastic trash can, on it's side, in there with some ice packs in the back as seen on someone else's post. They stuck their heads in, but didn't actually enter to cool off. So, then I put a tin plate out with a tray of ice cubes dumped on it. That they liked! They ended up making a mess of it when it melted, but for a while it was good. I'm also putting plastic bottles of frozen water out there. I supposed I'll have to rig up a fan.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Last summer when it got really hot, I even hosed my girls down a couple times a day...they hated it, but it got the job done! When I had the mister up over the run, most of them avoided it, but a few of them would walk through it on purpose too. I'll be doing ice blocks in each run tomorrow...

 

[chickerdoodle]

Oops, accidentally posted --the heat already has me in its clutches (nah--have AC).

 

[chickerdoodle]

I just sprayed down the sand run, the pea gravel and grass around the run and added ice cubes to the waterers. I also put a couple of moist towels over the end of the run to be a sort of swamp cooler and shade the biggest waterer as the sun can hit it in the afternoon. So far the girls aren't even panting and its 87. With all the shade and ice I also have a big box fan we will turn on if they start to pant. I think having a completely roofed run is making it easy for us humans to keep them cool. I hate what temp they predict for tomorrow, ugh.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I put ice cubes in the waterers and frozen water bottles around plus a plate of ice cubes which they are pecking at and standing on. Although the run is primarily in the shade, mine are panting. I misted earlier...they were not impressed. Do you know if it's dangerous if they get to the panting stage? For some reason it is hotter here down on the flat land of Forest Grove. They measure temps up on the hill and there is considerable variance.

 

[missychicky]

QUESTION FOR ALL OREGONIANS!-I have been told that I am most likely going to have to get rid of my chickens and I have 10 days to do so. Someone complained and the law is that if you get a complaint, you have to get rid of your chickens. Though, their not allowed in the first place but I had no choice but to move to salem.I LOVE my chickens! They are my purpose in life!I have heard that the organizations c.i.t.y and coop have written up an ordinance to allow chickens and are presenting it at the salem, OR city council. I think these organizations are presenting the ordinance july 12 so I am desperate to support them. Does anyone know about these organizations? Is there any way they could help me keep my chickens? Is there any way I could help pass the ordinance?

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I did find the following link, Missy Chicky:
http://willamettelive.com/story/City_of_Salem_moves_forward_on_chicken_ordinance140.html

There are apparently a set of steps they have to go through before you have to get rid of them, including a warning and a fine.

Here's the C.I.T.Y. website with contact info:
http://www.salemchickens.com/

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Yay Chicks! :

I put ice cubes in the waterers and frozen water bottles around plus a plate of ice cubes which they are pecking at and standing on. Although the run is primarily in the shade, mine are panting. I misted earlier...they were not impressed. Do you know if it's dangerous if they get to the panting stage? For some reason it is hotter here down on the flat land of Forest Grove. They measure temps up on the hill and there is considerable variance.

I can't believe I forgot to add this earlier....but when it's hot out, I also give my birds frozen veggies...they are super cheap, and they LOVE it!

 

[chickboss]

OMG it's hot! Looks like a thunderstorm on the horizon though, so hopefully it will break and cool off. My birds are hot, panting and the worse part is that we are out, as in OUT, of water. I have to bucket it from the spring. The water flow into out storage tank is next to nil, and we had a pipe break. It has been repaired, but recooping the lost water level is taking forever. Poor birds, we have shade, but geeze, wish I could hose them down... I'll get some frozen veggies out there, great idea! We are in the beginning process of revamping our water system... can't wait!