Pool Side Manners

[Adopted Chickenman]

Can someone tell me if I set up a childrens wadding pool if my chickens would use it to cool down. The recent temperature has been in the high 90's and even 100 degrees. I have plenty of shade, fan blowing, fresh water plus supplements (electrolytes and vitamines). And still they are panting. Any suggestions? Please tell all!

 

[SallyF]

I have a shallow tub of water in the run. They drink out of it, but I have yet to see one dip a toe in it.

 

[chuckzoo]

I tried the basin of water but they wouldn't go in it. Someone suggested floating fruit pieces in it, still not interested!

So now I run a $10 freestanding mister along with my fans, it creates a sort of air conditioning and brings the temp down. They also like to lie in the damp sand when I turn it off.

 

[sgtmom52]

I have a metal hog feeding pan with water in the run of my adult coop and only 2 of 10 stand in it ~ 1 SLW hen will stand in it for hours if it is really hot.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

i have a lid to a 'rubbermaide' type plastic bin. It's about 3" deep and my girls use it to wade in, walk thru, drink from and I even found a beautiful blue egg floating in it one day... I place a small frozen water bottle in it and they seem to enjoy it... I have a deeper tub that they care NOTHING about..

 

[Finn's Mom]

Even if they don't get in the water (mine do, but they are all different), cold water will cool them down when they drink it. I read a great post for non-dippers (I'm sorry I can't remember the name to give the OP credit!) about using old litre water bottles , cutting off the top, filling with water and freezing them, and then sliding the resulting ice in the waterer. Cheap and effective! That said, I don't know how many chickens you have ( I have 6 in one flock and 3 in another -- it may not work for larger groups)but if you had a lasagne depth pan with some water and ice they might change their minds. My Brahma got over her fear of getting her beloved feather feet wet very quickly when she ran across the pan inadvertantly -- the "WAIT A MINUTE" moment was precious.

 

[gryeyes]

I have one of those yard misters too, the curled ones that stand up like a cobra (mine is purple!), set up in the run for them (although they range freely in the back and front yards. I also have a 9x13 aluminum pan in another section, in the shade, which I keep water in, and when it's REALLY hot, I add a frozen water bottle to it.

 

[NYREDS]

They're chickens not ducks. Going into water is not in their nature.

 

[sixlittlechicks09]

I have one of those "saucer" type sleds filled with water in the run. They run in and out of it all day!

 

[elmo]

A wading pool probably would be too deep. You could try using something shallower, like those plastic plant saucers. Some chickens will use them, but mine wouldn't. So I hose down the ground and they get some relief from standing in the wet grass.

I keep a jug of water in the fridge and around noon go out and use this to replace the water in their waterer. In the shade, the water stays cool all afternoon this way. I also freeze a jug of water and put this in front of the fan I have set up outside the tractor. In this heat, the ice isn't lasting more than an hour or two, though.