Please Help With Heat Issue

[Hidden Blessings Farm]

I have a question. What is the best way to keep your chickens cool in the summer? My issue is my property is completely in the sun. I have NO shade whatsoever on my property. The heat index here in South arkansas has been 105 and my chickens are so not liking the heat. I go out and change the water as often as possible and I have tin on all of my cages and coops to provide as much shade as I can but I need to know what else I can do to try to keep them cooler. I happened to be home during the day yesterday working outside and noticed most all of them sitting in the shade with their mouths open panting. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[caralouise1974]

You can set up awnings and tarps to provide shade. Keep on with your diligence re replacing water once it gets hot - that's great. You can also try dropping ice cubes or an ice pack into their water to keep it cool for longer.

Also, here's a good idea from last year... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=61883 - it is completely genius!

And frozen veggie and fruit treats are also wonderful for them to peck at to cool them down.

 

[Hidden Blessings Farm]

That is definitely an awesome idea!! THank you so much for the post and for the link you gave me!! I am gonna try this for sure!! And the frozen milk jugs from the old post is another good idea!!!

 

[bleu chick]

If you keep them in a coop at night I would install a fan. My girls always look like they are still so hot at night so I installed a fan to help circulate the air. Now they all roost where they get the most fan breeze.

Its been 45 days without rain here in Houston so I am in the same boat. Fortunately I have a large shade tree for the girls.

Good Luck.

 

[Smoky73]

My coops have no shade either and we are often over 100° in the summer. I change the water as often as I can and sometimes I use the garden hose to spray down the earth in their runs to cool it down. I find though that the lower the humidity the better. They may be hot, but its the humidity and the moisture that is the problem.

 

[threehorses]

I'm also from Houston. It's been awful hasn't it?

I'm about to install fans, too.

What I have been doing is wetting the leaves of an area where the leaves droop to the ground. I wet those leaves and the ground under. It stays shady there all day. Finding a spot like that in the yard helps and misting it twice a day to cool it down.

I also keep very very shallow wading pools or pans of water. My turkeys will stand almost all day in those in the shade. They're hysterical - like silly little old ladies at the beach.

Another thing is freeze a bottle of drinking water. Then put it in your water pan but with the top off. It'll melt but the water it displaces it will replace as it melts. So your birds won't run out of water.

Keep drinking stations in the shade, and put out a couple extra.

And remember to hydrate yourself before going out to do the chickens. 10 minutes ahead of time is recommended.

 

[montcapu]

i put frozen milk jugs into the coop depending on the size I have 3 or 4 (depending if I have kids helping me carry them out) in my 6x6 coop, it tend to help keep everyone cool and they come and go as they please

 

[lalaland]

see if you can create shade in the run! tables, old doors on top of trash cans, old sheets tied to posts and spread out like a tent.....doesn't have to be tall, either - hey, even cardboard boxes duct taped together can create an awning or SOMETHING to give them shade!

and refrigerated watermelon or watermelon rinds are an all time favorite.

 

[TACEYPERKINS]

yes I did the frozen milk jug thing too. With my rabbits as well. It works! You can just re use the milk jugs over and over again. If you can use wood to create shade that helps. The tin will create an oven like effect if there is no circulation. You can also spray the dirt down with water. The humidity helps as well. Good luck

 

[bleu chick]

I use the large dog crates for sun protection (as well as hiding places it a hawk flys by). You take them apart and you are left with two pieces. I did have to cut a hole out of the part that would have been the back of the crate. I used a handsaw to cut the plastic. The chickens seems to like the tunnel effect rather than a cave (with only one opening). I pick up discarded ones that people are throwing out. They usually have a broken door or something. Either way you wont need it for the chickens.

I have heard others using old truck bed covers. If they have windows, open them for more air circulation. If they are metal you could also tarp high over the top of the truck cover to keep direct sun off it.