Summertime heat inside the nesting boxes.

[michaelbell317]

My nesting boxes are incorporated into the raised coop. The coop has an open window on each side, plus the door the chickens use to get into and out of the coop/nesting boxes is open. The roof of the nesting boxes is hinged for easy egg retrieval and I leave it cracked about three inches. It still gets over 110 degrees inside and a couple of my chickens can't seem to get into and out of the nest box very fast. I've seen them almost panting like a dog, they've gotten so hot. I haven't forced them out of the nesting box since I'm not sure if they're done laying or not. How hot is too hot, how long is too long, is there anything more I can do? Is this anything I need to worry about?

 

[mamablair]

I fill 2 liter bottles with water and freeze then and put them around different places in the coop in the summer.

 

[michaelbell317]

I fill 2 liter bottles with water and freeze then and put them around different places in the coop in the summer.

My chickens come out of the coop at some point after they lay their egg. But while they're in the nesting box, it gets really hot there and there's no room for frozen water bottles.

 

[mamablair]

Could you maybe use small like 20 oz bottles and out them in the nesting boxes?

 

[Folly's place]

That's way too hot!!! There needs to be more ventilation, and maybe a fan, and consider misting the roof to help cool it off.
Add shade somehow; longer term, trees and shrubs. Short term, shade cloth.
I use plastic 'egg crates' for nest boxes, because they are better ventilated. They sit on a shelf, and have a slanted roof up overhead. Each box has an empty feed bag inside with shavings on top as bedding. The ventilation on all sides and the top is helpful.
Mary

 

[aart]

Sounds like you need some shade on coop and nests.