Texas

[TheChicknGarden]

It got to 104 in the coop today. And it's in total shade.  I had 2 fans and a mister going in the run, I hope that kept the temperature under 100 in the run during the really hot part of the day. I don't have a thermometer that will hold the high and low in the run.  I only have 3 silkies, they laid 2 eggs yesterday, none today. They look OK so far. I looked up outdoor air-conditioners on-line. I found one for dog houses for $600.00. Seems like a lot of money for 3 chickens. I hate worrying about them in this heat.

I've been hosing my chicken's area down thru out the day, especially under their favorite tree..using a fan... Frozen water bottles in their water giving them frozen berries in a little bit of water for daily treats at the hottest time of the day.... If i could afford an outdoor ac i'd probably get it .... But my girls (silkies, ans sizzle, polish, and barredrock) seem to be doing good. The day it got to 108 i even went out and misted them til they were a lil wet... They didnt like that too much.. ( in the pocess of getting a mister) but they do like playing in the cool moist dirt (out in the garden)

 

[ange92040]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if chickens would drink from a garden fountain? the one that they have at the garden stores I was thinking about one that looks like the water is spilling on the ground out of a tipped pot/jar. I know our dogs like to drink from flowing water but would chickens drink it like the dogs do? Right now they are drinking from a water trough my son made.

 

[charmayne]

yes i have chickens and they drink from mine all the time!!

 

[joan1708]

My silkies are standing around the mister, kinda at the edge of the mist today. Two have laid today, one is still a bit broody. They are eating and OK for now. There is someone in the coops section that converted their "milk shed" into their coop and put an AC unit in it. I'm jealous! I tried to give them frozen watermelon and they wouldn't eat. They won't eat fruit.

 

[yinepu]

and YES we have crickets/grasshoppers BAD now. They are becoming a real nuisance in my garden. Ive been grabbing as many as I can and have been shoving them into an old lactose free milk carton with a screw on top (... I cant do regular milk but a normal carton would work fine) and I then take the top off and leave it in the middle of the run. The birds knock it around till the crickets/grasshoppers jump out... then... they pounce and do the whole racing around ***MINE! MINE!! MINE!!!!**** squealing run I got the idea from watching my dog play with his kong toy. It works! The chickens figured it out really fast.

in town there are crickets everywhere..

out here I have seen TWO... lol.. the ducks have taken care of the rest!

grasshoppers are another matter... at least the squirrels have caught some of them

 

[TheChicknGarden]

My silkies are standing around the mister, kinda at the edge of the mist today. Two have laid today, one is still a bit broody. They are eating and OK for now. There is someone in the coops section that converted their "milk shed" into their coop and put an AC unit in it. I'm jealous! I tried to give them frozen watermelon and they wouldn't eat. They won't eat fruit. 

My sizzle is laying every oer day.... My silkies barely started liking fruit.. It took them some time to understand the whole treat concept...but now are loving it. So perhps keep trying.... So need to get my self a mister.

 

[joan1708]

I will keep trying to give them fruit. Thanks,

 

[RachaelS]

I almost lost the very first chicken I hatched/owned due to heat stroke on Tuesday. Came home and she was totally limp, unresponsive and barley breathing, the others were all fine. I cooled her off in water, put her under a fan, then put her in a dog crate overnight hoping for the best and that is what I got. She was still not "all there" yesterday so I left her in the crate today also (inside of course), but I am hoping to put her back with her girls today at "let out time". The rest of the week should be under 100, it was just on Tuesday Austin got hit with 109 when we were "told" it was only supposed to be 102.

So what I have been doing already:
Putting out frozen bottles of water

What I am adding:
Freezing fruits and veggies in a container with water, as it melts they eat and drink cool water
Putting out a frozen bottle of water with cap off also, this way as the water melts it flows out onto the ground.
A friend of mine might have an A/C unit that still works that she will give me (she is checking that tonight), I am going to put it on a timer so it comes on 20 mins and stays on for 10, I think that should not use as much electricity, plus I am on a rain water system and believe it or not when water is "trucked" in electricity is cheaper than water.

I have dreaded going home each day, not sure if I will come home to one dead. I hate, hate, hate the Texas heat

lived here all my life and I have only grown to hate it more not get used to it.

 

[joan1708]

I talked to a fella who works for a commercial chicken ranch. They have a kind of "blanket" that hangs on inside of coop from ceiling to floor. water trickles through it. There are fans behind it. So it's like a giant swamp cooler. He says it works pretty good. Years ago I had a box-fan swamp cooler for my rabbits. It worked OK but it rusted out after only a year or two.

 

[charmayne]

hi there sorry to here that. for the little one i know she was overheated but when they are wet you should not put her in front of the fan. i am not trying to tell you what to do but they chill off very fast and keep there tempertures its ok to cool off in water though. they get like a chest cold and get real raspby well good luck