The Heat!!!!

[BeetleChick]

It was 106 here today (central nc), our chickens like to play in the water when I let the hose run in their run, they'll drink it and dig in the mud as well as walk in it. I know that water is cold, they don't like it anywhere on them except their feet.

 

[magsrags]

I recycle and use painters tarps as they are heavier and don't blow away/off to easily. And they also do repell a bit of rain when ya need to.

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Good idea with the white sheets, reflecting sunlight! I wonder where I can buy some cheap white sheets? My run and coop are covered with gray tarps, heat generators lol.

 

[magsrags]

Learn like I did, keep your chicken worries to yourself cause the DH will get jealous if he isn't 100% on board and a chicken lover.

boxermom&nowchicks :

We just got our new coop set up in the yard and I am afraid of putting the chickens in it at night because it's been so hot!! Our coop only has one small window and no other ventilation sources.
My husband thinks I'm crazy, but I have been putting frozen 2-liter bottles of water and small frozen water bottles in the dog crates they sleep in. I cover the bottles up with old t-shirts. socks, etc. the chickens aren't stupid either, they went and sat right on them last night.
so far, so good.

Hubby also gets upset because i worry more about the chickens in this heat than him working outside LOL!​

 

[magsrags]

TKS redhen! We've got plenty of peeps springing up in backyard gardens now and the polulation is growing every month! No roos allowed, but no limit on hens in the 5 boroughs of NYC. fo figure!

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[Jerseycoop]

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How do you provide electrolytes for them?

You can buy poultry electroltyes. If you don't have them or can't get them in real time, you can use Pedialtye or Gatorade in a pinch. Spritz on favorite fruits (e.g. watermelon). Keep unused portions of either of these products refrigerated.

We just hit 120 heat index. I'm at work and so worried about my feather-kids. Even though they have AC and fans I bet it's easily 100 in their house. Hopefully they are standing right in front of the fans and not too heat stressed.....

It is 84 degrees in Orlando, Florida and 120 with heat index in central Jersey. Madness.

JJ

 

[Mahonri]

Reading through this thread, it's like you've all joined the Arizona chickens thread.

Welcome to our world....

 

[magsrags]

OK, so I hear your pain.

what breeds do you think are heat hardy for newbies or even those of us not having to dealt with this in the past. I do NOT like this type of heat and NY isn't accustomed to it period. MY BLRW who is supposedly agreeable to NY weather is suffering more than the others.


Inquiring minds want to know.

PS: I couldn't live p\\out there because of the summer heat.

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[Kikiriki]

I want to get a fan for my coop, but there is no power near it. I want a fan because moving air keeps the mosquitoes down as well as help cool the chickens. We have not been as hot as some of you folks--and boy do I feel for you-- but we are so muggy that misters are not ideal...that relies on evaporative cooling which doesn't do great in high humidity.

The unit I found that was one of the few with a battery (to keep working into the evening) is too big for my small coop, and my coop is not in a place that gets enough sunlight, even though this unit comes with a remote solar panel with a 15 foot cable. ( too many trees...i need way more cable!)

But I thought someone else might find it worth the price: about $70 plus $10 shipping. There were cheaper fans that have the solar panel integrated but they also have no battery. If that suits anyones situation, just search solar fans on ebay.

This is a link for the one that is solar powered with a rechargable battery, and is the only one I saw with a solar panel remote from the fan unit (15ft) They claim it moves a lot of air each hour...678 cubic feet. They did not say ( that I saw) how long the fan will run off the battery, though.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-8-5-ABS...ear&hash=item336d5bdf89&vxp=mtr#ht_2538wt_982

In case you wonder: No, I am not associated with the seller or the manufacturer...I was hoping for an affordable solar option I could make work for me, but I know other folks have coops and tractors that are in the sun.

 

[Gretta]

Our coop has multiple ventilation vents, a fan and shade cloth over their run. But what really has work for my girls is a shallow pond! It was so hot and I was so scared that they would overheat that I ran the hose in a sandy part of the yard and lo and behold the girls had a day at the beach!! lol they stood, flapped drank and scratched! I diverted the water so that it overflowed into the garden. Now when I go out, they run to the hose end waiting for their pond to fill up. In the afternoon they use the cool damp sand to take a nap.

 

[Kikiriki]

That is so cool! (pun intended!)

But I have to wonder, what the heck is wrong with my chickens?? They are afraid of ice bottles, wont drink if ice is in their water, wont eat nice cold melon, wont go near water that is not in their waterer....

Grrr... They are not cooperating! :/