REVIVING THREAD : See post #14 : EXTREME HEAT areas : Cooling your flock

[sutillman]

I have an airconditioner in my brooder barn. Would have lost all my chicks to the heat without it. I have large blower fans in the runs of my other pens and a fan blowing in my little coop.

 

[bzbrown]

Our temps for the week are forecasted in the 100's. Our coop is small, I've got a 7 inch metal fan attached near the coop window angled down an the coop floor. The coop door is left open all day so no ventilation issues. I added a layer of burlap to the top of the coop, over the wire to provide more shade, and wet the dirt run floor down several times a day when watering the giant sunflowers growing in the coop. I also put a large ice block in a metal pan out daily. They like standing on it, and walking around in the cool water.

 

[jjthink]

I know of plenty of folks with AC's for their feathered friends, including now myself after last summer in NJ was stinkin hot with humidity/dew point over-the-top saturated. It was disgusting. When it gets in the 90s or hotter I turn it on. There are fans available all the time for hot/humid days. My 2 birds have a small coop (4x6x8 feet high) located in a much larger building. The AC is in a window of the larger building - doesn't blow directly on them. The larger building leaks like crazy but it still helps bring the temps and humidity down. I haven't any idea about the electric bill impacts because prices keep skyrocketing around here and I don't know what to attribute to what. I think the AC was less than $100 and gives me peace of mind when I'm at work and can't be checking on them often enough (they also get plenty of cold wtaer with ice, frozen fruit treats etc).

JJ

 

[BlossomSilkies]

I am purposely reviving this thread because even doing almost all of the suggestions here, short of installing A/C, I lost 4 or 5 of my flock last summer.

Would be really helpful if there were some responses from our Arizona members. How do survive a summer with no loses? That is my mission this year.

Does anyone use an evaporative cooler? Something portable, and is it effective and where do you place it. We are leaning that way, but want to hear real stories and experiences.

 

[wren]

The lack of info on this is frustrating. One house with big fans thats shaded and open and another that has AC that is insulated? I don't want dead animals.

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

Hubby installed an energy efficient A/C unit in the coop a year ago summer. Our bill didn't go up much. He also installed a mist system that is on a timer. The girls eventually figured out that when they got too hot, they would hang out in the coop. I put ice water and food in there as well so they wouldn't have to go out. They were still free to go in and out to their run. They do have a shaded area to hang out if they wanted as well.

Some say I am crazy to do this and to let the girls acclimate to the heat but if I can keep them comfy, why not.

 

[mmjisawesome]

http://www.amazon.com/O2-Cool-Porta...351&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=baterie+powered+fan

I would just put 1 or 2 batterie powered fans. I have seen these kind and they worked well and reliable! Next hot Texas summer I am gonna one of these! On amazon they were rated almost 5 stars! They are also pretty cheap!! It folds up, is small, has a stand, can be positioned at different angles, is very quiet, uses only two D batteries, low price, lightweight.

EVERYONE had them when we where camping to, same brand! I love them!

 

[Baymule]

Summer of 2011, here in Texas we had over 2 months of 100+ degree days. I watered down the dirt floor of the coop every evening so the girls could dig in the damp earth the next day. I have hardware cloth one foot high on all 4 sides at the bottom of the coop. I also have lots of hardware cloth panels for maximum air flow. When building my coop, I placed plywood on the walls where the sun would glare in on the girls. I also gave them frozen treats, watermelon rind, cantalope, and blocks of ice. None died. They laid fairly well, considering the heat.

This year, in addition to all the above, I laid a panel of concrete wire tilted toward the coop on the west side, where the afternoon sun shines, and planted green beans at the bottom. The vines gave more shade to the girls, but we got no beans. I guess all the nitrogen from the poo they have scratched out all around the outside of the coop. I had the same beans in the garden and got tons of them.