The Heat is on!

[chicksnaroo]

Hello all.
I am new to the group.....my dad and I built my coop from a photo.....and I got my ladies on June 30th.

Is there anything I can do to make the chickens more comfortable in the heat wave?
We live in Southern New England.....and the heat is on!

thanks everyone!

 

[dumb_cluck]

Make sure the coop has adequate ventilation. Usually people put a "vent" on two opposing sides at the peak of the roof to provide the air flow. Can you post a pix?

 

[gritsar]

If you have electricity out to your coop, a box fan is good. Make sure the chickens can get in the shade. I also freeze water in gallon milk jugs and lay them around the chicken yard. The chickens like to lay against them and dig in the cool dirt surrounding the jugs.

I also do my best not to disturb my chickens in the heat of the day. Getting them all riled up only adds to their body heat.

 

[chicksnaroo]

I am going to attempt to upload a photo....
The coop has a vent above the nesting boxes and the door out to the run on the other side.


The chicks are outside....fresh water....food.....a box with dirt in it.....
they free ranged this morning for the first time!

 

[chicksnaroo]

I do have electricity out to the coop....I will pick up a small fan for in there...thank you for the feedback.
should I dump the dirt into the run and put water in the bucket for them?

 

[chics in the sun]

Mine love their dust/ dirt baths to stay cool. I also freeze a bottle of water and put it in a bowl of water, that will keep the water in the bowl cool all day. Sometimes I put ice in their waterer, too.

 

[pkw]

My husband installed a window swamp cooler in my chicken house and we have fans in there also.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Hey chicksnaroo-- I am in NY and I know what you are going through. I have no electric to my coop but the ventilation is pretty good. My girls hide under their tractor for shade so I wet down the ground several times during the day. Today I put several plastic bowls out and have been filling them with fresh cold water every hour or so. They like that and some walk through it. I also put a couple of frozen water bottles out for them to lay next to. So far we are doing good. No one is panting even though we are setting records today. Good luck with your babies!!