The Middle Tennessee Thread

[CarolJ]

Well I lost two hens to the heat this evening. I checked on them several times today and they were doing ok considering. Left home for a couple hours then came back to two expired hens. A Buff Orp and a Barred Rock. The Buff was my wife's favorite chicken. These were two of the original four pullets we started with 2 years ago. They have shade to go to and fresh water. I'm going to set up a fan tomorrow. Hopefully that will help. Any other suggestions are much appreciated.

I'm so sorry! This heat is just unbelievable!

 

[DMRippy]

Well I lost two hens to the heat this evening. I checked on them several times today and they were doing ok considering. Left home for a couple hours then came back to two expired hens. A Buff Orp and a Barred Rock. The Buff was my wife's favorite chicken. These were two of the original four pullets we started with 2 years ago. They have shade to go to and fresh water. I'm going to set up a fan tomorrow. Hopefully that will help. Any other suggestions are much appreciated.

I don't really have much advice.... I sprayed the runs and chickens down in the late afternoon. about the time it was getting really hot. My chickens have covered runs so they have plenty of shade all day. I also put out big pans of water, not so much to drink but for them to stand in and cool down. I fan might help.... misters if you can find one might keep it cooler too.

I left at about 4 so I hope I don't come into that sight in the morning. I look in the pens every morning looking for dead chickens.... sad really.

 

[EconMan]

Donna - Thanks. I'm definitely going to get one of those SBE off you now. Closest you have to laying works for me. Just let me know next time you come down to Nashville or M'boro. I'll come meet you.

I'm also looking for 2 or 3 more birds in the following breeds if anyone is selling or knows someone who is: Buff Orp, Barred Rock, SLW, RIR or Australorp.

 

[DMRippy]

Donna - Thanks. I'm definitely going to get one of those SBE off you now. Closest you have to laying works for me. Just let me know next time you come down to Nashville or M'boro. I'll come meet you.

I'm also looking for 2 or 3 more birds in the following breeds if anyone is selling or knows someone who is: Buff Orp, Barred Rock, SLW, RIR or Australorp.

OK... let me do some looking. I might have some BR growing up to. I am only keeping the blue barred rocks. I might have 2 about the same age, somewhere....

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Econ- I have one remaining buff orp chick left. I was going to keep her, but I feel bad for your wife. This chick is 9 weeks old and came from Meyer hatchery. PM me if you are interested.

I lost one of my wheaten marans yesterday to the heat. She was in the nest box house. It is unbearable out there. I was at work all day yesterday so they were stuck in the runs. I have tarps up and multiple water bowls in all the runs. They are all big enough for the girls to wade in them (which makes a mess and means lots of water bowl cleaning, but does help them cool off). I was out there this morning to let them out to range and again this afternoon refilling bowls with cool water and tossing out watermelon chunks. I misted all of the runs for a but. Hopefully I won't lose anybody today. I am pretty much over this heat now. We aren't supposed to get this until August!!!

 

[pickledchicken]

MISTING TO COOL THINGS OFF !

I have seen some good ideas on here for misting in these hot days of summer. I have some greenhouse experience and have rooted thousands of cuttings in a misting box. These little misters are very inexpensive and you can make just about any kind of manifold for them with half inch pvc, you get a very fine mist with them. I hope this helps these are pretty easy to find from any mail order nursery supply on line. I can send some links if you need them. Sorry to hear of everyone's losses I hope we don't lose anymore...Chad

You can see the mist that just one nozzle can put off

 

[wife89]

This heat is amazing...I have been freezing shredded too big cucumbers and yellow squash and giving it to the girls in the afternoon. Last night I stuck watermelon rind in the freezer and that is today's snack... I hope they appreciate it..LOL



I am starting to get more eggs than my family can eat. So I was going to start selling them. Can anyone direct me to TN's rules about selling eggs?


Thanks so much and stay cool!!

Rachel

 

[Jenski]

So sorry to hear about my fellow Middle TN chicken folks losing birds to this awful heat. It is seriously nasty out there.


Here's what I do for my birds in the heat:

ICE TRAYS - - A couple of years ago I bought some pyrex (glass) brownie pans at the dollar store. I put one in each pen, fill them with ice and top off with water when it's hot like this. The chickens love it, and the super-cold water keeps them nice and cool. When it's over 100, some of them will even stand in the ice-water pans. Luckily my work schedule allows me to refill the ice every couple of hours.

FANS/WATER - - I am also using box fans next to all pens, and I wet down the sand in one corner of each of the pens every day. In the afternoons the birds will dig holes in the wet sand and sit in the holes to cool off.

SCREEN DOOR/VENTILATION - - We built a screen door for one of the coops for summer use. We also hooked up a computer fan on the outside of the coop near the ceiling to suck hot air out of that coop. Works great. My largest coop has a porch where some of the birds will perch on summer nights instead of going inside. (porch is secured with 1/2" hardware cloth)

ICE BOTTLES - - In the evenings, and for stubborn broody hens, I keep frozen milk jugs or soda bottles. . . I put small ice bottles next to broodies, and a large milk jug in each of the coops near the birds to help cool things down. In the morning I pop the bottles into a plastic bag and toss them back in the freezer for the next night.

SHADE - - I throw shade tarps or those nifty camo hunting nets over the tops of my pens in summer for shade, since the trees do not shade my pens between 2 and 5 pm.

WATCHING FOR HEAT STROKE - - again, I am lucky I can check on my birds every couple of hours. If I am refilling ice and notice anyone not moving around enough, I gently immerse the bird in cool (not icy!) water, starting with the feet. I might also gently wipe the comb, waddles and face with a cool wet cloth. The silkies seem especially prone to heat problems here.


Take care, everyone! Heat stress is compounded by multiple days of heat like this. Stay cool, and good luck with your critters!

 

[Cinny]

Thanks for the tips Jenski....they didn't like the spray mist.....they paid no attention to the ice tray but after watering down the run they dug this hole and the 3 of them worked and worked and worked until they had it just like they wanted and that's where they are staying.....they other 2 silkies had the coop to themselves and seem to be very happy there, they dug themselves a hole and are cuddled in it. Tonight I'll take my hand held fan out there and see if they like that.
Donna, you can see they finally accepted the copper maran into the flock....he name is Blue Belle.....my Grandson's idea.

 

[DMRippy]

Thanks for the tips Jenski....they didn't like the spray mist.....they paid no attention to the ice tray but after watering down the run they dug this hole and the 3 of them worked and worked and worked until they had it just like they wanted and that's where they are staying.....they other 2 silkies had the coop to themselves and seem to be very happy there, they dug themselves a hole and are cuddled in it. Tonight I'll take my hand held fan out there and see if they like that.
Donna, you can see they finally accepted the copper maran into the flock....he name is Blue Belle.....my Grandson's idea.

Let me know how that copper comes in on her neck.... I have more than ever with copper on their neck and am very excited to see how they turn out. Great name!