The Heat!!!!

[Redcatcher]

The temperature is supposed to hit 102* today and it is 100* already. My chickens are panting too but I am the most concerned over an eight year old, overweight Wyandotte hen. She was in a lot of distress so I brought her inside the house. Just like elderly people and the very young. If it appears to be a matter of life or death and you have the means to do it, bring them inside the house or in the cellar. It probably is impractical for most but it may be an option.

 

[jjthink]

Quote:
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

 

[magsrags]

106 in Staten Island without the heat index added.....by the water....never seen this type of heat here before. If so I sure think I'd remember. I've been misting my small flock today and keep refreshing their water and adding ice. They look miserable and they are in a tree shaded run/coop with the only breezway I have. Ugh.......Who turned the heat up?

 

[dawj]

WATERMELON (Frozen too

I have a fan in the window of the coop and run and ice in the waterers. I also draped white sheets around parts of the run and on the run roof (Hillbillie coop and run lol) The don't seem to be panting as they were before i did all this.

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
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.

 

[Jerseycoop]

Yes it's horrible here in NJ as well. I'm using the mister on the run making little puddles which they enjoy standing in. Stopped at quick check and picked up a bag of 10lb ice. Put in all their water and in a few piles so they could lie in the " cooler" puddles it makes while it melts in minutes

I also mist the girls, last week they ran..now they huddle together in a semi-line for their misting

so cute. I notice they pant every 50 minutes or so...so I make a point now to get out there every 30-40 minutes for feather mistings. The heatwave should leave by sunday. Good luck everyone it's a rough one

 

[goldeneggtees]

I bought a cheap kiddie pool, filled it with water and dunked them for a few minutes one by one. They did not like that at all, but I guess it made me feel better.

 

[GoldenSparrow]

I bought a cheap kiddie pool, filled it with water and dunked them for a few minutes one by one. They did not like that at all, but I guess it made me feel better.

I do the same thing

 

[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!

 

[redhen689]

Hey, Here goes a little shout out to all my NJ and PA neighbors! (I grew up near Dover/Denville/Morristown, NJ, and now live near Boyertown/Reading, PA)

Today it hit 104, with a heat index of 117 in Boyertown. We live up in the hills in the woods, so the girls have plenty of shade to keep cool. Ther run does not confine them well, so they are out and about finding places to keep cool. When I got home from work they all appeared to be doing well.

magsrags, Chickens on Staten Island? I thnk that is cool!