Panting chickens

[Mcfarlinschicks]

I recently put all my chicks outside, and they are all panting now......is this normal? I do live in Arizona where it is like 113 degrees, but I keep them in the shade and give them plenty of water and food. Is this ok?

 

[CalebtheChicken]

It's completely normal, they're just hot.
They pant for the same reason dogs do, they can't swet.

 

[CoopCrazy]

There are lots of ways to cool down your birds.. My favorite atm is to dig a hole a few feet down in the ground .. During the hottest part of the day they wont move form there... You can also give them frozen fruits and veggies or frozen water bottles to cuddle up to...

 

[chuckzoo]

I am in Alabama and mine are two months old they are panting too and yes it is normal in hot weather. People put iced milk bottles out around their chickens, run misters with a fan, put out ice cubes and water for them to walk in to help them cool down.

 

[Nostalchic]

They pant when they're really hot. It isn't lethal, but it may indicate some stress. Some breeds don't handle the heat as well as others. Could you mist them, or give them some wet sand to dig in? Mine seem to like that.

 

[1_FnkyFrm]

You should freeze some water bottles for them to help keep cool...

 

[Mcfarlinschicks]

Is that bad that i am keeping them outside in weather like this?

 

[Mcfarlinschicks]

I do put a new frozen water bottle out every day.

 

[Dora'smom]

Hmmm. . . I'm always reading here to see what I can learn. I had not thought of digging a hole for them, or using wet sand. I'll add those to my list of things to do for hot weather. Thanks!

 

[CoopCrazy]

Quote:
NO Not at all .. I sure as heck aint bringing in all 53 birds at my house .. and the barn is hotter then outside .. Just make they have shade water and someway to cool down they will be fine.. also you could put shallow buckets of cold water in the run and they will stand in them to cool off...