Texas

[Fire Ant Farm]

Thanks for the heat tips, everyone. I have the run all secured with a hardware cloth apron, etc, so I won't close them in - it's almost ready for move in. It's one of those kit coops (Clubhouse Coop, with two additional runs) and the actual "sleeping" area isn't very big (it's what I've got right now - I'll build something bigger later, as I figure I'll succumb to chicken math soon enough). I was planning to be pretty paranoid about their water and ice, etc. - I live across the street from work, so I will be able to come home during the day most hot days to check on them as well.



I have a panting question. It hasn't been all that hot, relatively speaking - I had them in the yard in a tractor with me this morning, getting them used to more time outside. 85-88 degrees. Plenty of cool water and shade available. They seem to stop and pant pretty easily, but then stop and go about their business eating more grass. I'm thinking what I perceive as "panting" isn't as serious as what was being referred to as a chicken majorly in distress? (If it is, I need to give these chickens to someone who lives in Minnesota or something - I keep telling them they ain't seen nothing yet...).

I guess that's why I was wondering about acclimating them to the heat somehow... (Other than just trying to give them more outside time.)

I've GOT to get them outside. They are big, and it's getting pretty gross having them in the house still...

- Ant Farm

 

[k5crew]

Well free ranging girls ended up a good solution to squirrels. No food for the to steal!!! I give food 2x a day and at night. Healthier for them anyway is my guess. After rain here run is down to bare dirt, but that is where you can find them when the hawk is calling.

 

[orumpoultry]

Thanks for the heat tips, everyone. I have the run all secured with a hardware cloth apron, etc, so I won't close them in - it's almost ready for move in. It's one of those kit coops (Clubhouse Coop, with two additional runs) and the actual "sleeping" area isn't very big (it's what I've got right now - I'll build something bigger later, as I figure I'll succumb to chicken math soon enough). I was planning to be pretty paranoid about their water and ice, etc. - I live across the street from work, so I will be able to come home during the day most hot days to check on them as well. I have a panting question. It hasn't been all that hot, relatively speaking - I had them in the yard in a tractor with me this morning, getting them used to more time outside. 85-88 degrees. Plenty of cool water and shade available. They seem to stop and pant pretty easily, but then stop and go about their business eating more grass. I'm thinking what I perceive as "panting" isn't as serious as what was being referred to as a chicken majorly in distress? (If it is, I need to give these chickens to someone who lives in Minnesota or something - I keep telling them they ain't seen nothing yet...). I guess that's why I was wondering about acclimating them to the heat somehow... (Other than just trying to give them more outside time.) I've GOT to get them outside. They are big, and it's getting pretty gross having them in the house still... - Ant Farm

I kick mine out at four to five weeks this time of year. Its easier and less stressful for them to acclimate in this. If your birds can't handle the heat, you'll know. Trust me. There's a difference in a hot chicken and a chicken that's over heating. An overheating bird will be panting hard ( similar to a dog that just ran his life away ) and pretty immobile. Your pen looks great. I don't think in a pen like that it would be necessary to lock them up. You may have to pick them up and put them in a few nights until they figure out the ramp, though. Keep food inside, water at easy access. Plenty of it. I put out shallow pools ( old protien tubs cut in half ) for them to wade in. You'd be surprised, but, hot chickens enjoy cool water on their feet. Make sure you have cool dirt somewhere in there that doesn't get sun light, or doesn't get evening sun. That way they can cool down. Good luck!

 

[JRNash]

Great looking set up fire ant

 

[tjo804]

Great looking set up fire ant

x2 Love it!

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

I kick mine out at four to five weeks this time of year. Its easier and less stressful for them to acclimate in this.

If your birds can't handle the heat, you'll know. Trust me. There's a difference in a hot chicken and a chicken that's over heating. An overheating bird will be panting hard ( similar to a dog that just ran his life away ) and pretty immobile.

Your pen looks great. I don't think in a pen like that it would be necessary to lock them up. You may have to pick them up and put them in a few nights until they figure out the ramp, though. Keep food inside, water at easy access. Plenty of it. I put out shallow pools ( old protien tubs cut in half ) for them to wade in. You'd be surprised, but, hot chickens enjoy cool water on their feet.

Make sure you have cool dirt somewhere in there that doesn't get sun light, or doesn't get evening sun. That way they can cool down.

Good luck!

Very helpful - thanks! They are 5 weeks (Jenny & Lissa) and 6 weeks (Paula) old - I had hoped to have them out about a week or two before, but hadn't gotten the coop up. I am beyond ready to have them outside now (and I think they are, too). Almost all of the run is in 100% shade all day long, so that will hopefully be a nice cool area for them. I was planning to keep both food and water in the run, since the coop itself is so tiny - I feed fermented feed twice a day, so there isn't the horrible mess that I was getting with dry feed. I was considering having a little soda bottle nipple waterer in the coop as well, but not sure how I'd swing that.

Great looking set up fire ant

x2 Love it!

Thanks!!!! I just have a few more little things to finish: close off the nest boxes, block off a wide gap under the roof of the run, put sand/sweet PDZ in the pull out tray floor of the coop, figure out where the food and water will go/hang, put down soil over the apron and plant some shade-loving seeds/starts (maybe mint?)

- Ant Farm

 

[tjo804]

Tis the season
Had a hen with heat stress today it was 102 deg according to thermometer on my back deck. I had a lady decide today she wanted to start her own Brood.

I promptly put her in a pan of water to cool her down and she is doing well now.

I set up emergency dunk tanks in the yard just in case she tries that stunt again.

 

[Eliza1313]

Instead of closing off the nesting boxes you could hang the nipple waterers in them, at least for the summer since they won't be needing to use them to lay for awhile.

 

[tjo804]

I read somewhere that baking soda in the feed for heat helps the chcikens instead of acv for summer.

anyone else ever heard this? tried this?

opinions?

 

[Sunflowergirl]

New to this thread. I'M in Mauriceville,Texas. The self named crawfish capital

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