The Heat and Chickens

[debbiesuew]

Hi,
I've got my first batch of chickens. I started with 12 one day olds and after five weeks into it was given another 10. So far I've lost three. Most are Americana and I have only one Rooster and he is Americana as well. I've never done this before and my husband made me a beautiful coop with a fan that is automatically drawing the heat out at 80 degrees. Because of this hot weather it seems that it runs constantly. I still don't have a run for them but I have windows wide open and really try to keep my girls comfortable. They are now at 16 weeks and at 11 weeks I'm in the process of getting their nesting boxes installed. How can I keep them cooler in their coop?
We are waiting for a repair on a skid steer to dig the holes for the fence I have solid clay in the yard. Any ideas? Do I really need to worry. I am babying these girls and guy like you wouldn't belive. I take them out one at a time for fresh air and they unfortunatly are under one arm. . . .
My husband who was raised in the country and married a city girl thinks I'm crazy. . .

 

[PamB]

I'm a newbie, but I have read about people freezing water in soda bottles and putting them in the coop for the chickens to lay against and cool off. Hope this helps a little

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

We freeze water in milk jugs and put in Rubbermaid containers on their side...makes a lil air conditioned room...have seen as many as 3 hens at a time in one container.

I also save juice bottles and freeze water in these to put in the kitty litter bucket waterer...does a great job chilling the water down.

I save 1 liter club soda bottles and use all over the run or put a rabbit waterer end on and hang in the run so there is always enough water close by.

I empty all the bottles at the end of the day before I bring them in to refreeze...the water goes on the sand floor of the run...chickens love to dig a hole and sit in the chilled wet sand.

I have a fan running 24/7 since we are in the upper 90's to 100's all summer here in Texas. Thank God we have not seen temps about 105 this year.

 

[Mark & Nique]

Howdy! We live in South Carolina and have had 100 temperatures this summer more than once! I've followed the advice above about freezing plastic bottles and putting them in the coop. To date, we haven't lost a chick.

Good luck!

 

[teach1rusl]

Couldn't you just use the roll of wire you'll be using on your run to set up a tempory run, even if it's just a small one? No posts or anything, just a circle (or horseshoe) that meets up at the housing. It could still be supervised time for an hour or so, but that way they could actually be out???That's pretty old to have not had opportunities to scratch about in the dirt.
With the fan and your windows, they should be okay inside the coop...I just hate to think of chickens not having the opportunity to scratch and peck about outside. Adding ice to their water helps too...or if you have a cannister type waterer, even sticking one of those blue icee things down in there works.