The UAE

[ZainabH]

I live in the UAE (but am an Australian national) and keep a rooster and several hens - mostly for their eggs although sometimes also for meat. They have free range in a walled garden. The weather here is very hot - summer: 50 degrees celsius. My chickens survive despite the fact that the tap water is very, very warm if not hot. I really don't know how to keep them cool; I hose them down daily in summer to cool them down. It would be nice to hear from anyone else living in extreme desert conditions - how do you manage chickens in the summer heat?

 

[adni02]

Hi i live in Pakistan and in summer temperature remains between 45 to 50 degrees celcius. So what i do is use sand as beding and keep it wet during the day. Birds like it and feel comfortable. Other thing i do is to mix some lemon juice in their drinking water, this helps a lot. Trees also help by providing shade.

 

[ZainabH]

Thanks. Yes, I do the wet sand under some large eucalypts in my yard. They like digging into it and sitting in it. I shall try the lemon juice in the drinking water - what is the benefit?

I also have Permanent residency for Pakistan as my husband is a Pakistani national. What area are you in?

 

[adni02]

i live near Islamabad. I think lemon provides them with vit c which helps them in extream heat. Some other experience member may explain it how it works. You can give them some cold / frozen watermelon, mine love them. And one more thing you can do, take frozen water bottle (yoy can use 1.5 or 2.5 soft drink plastic bottle) freez them in refrigerator and put it in the cage or where ever they are kept. Them will sit on or beside it and it will help them

 

[ZainabH]

I shall try the lemon juice. Also, the frozen water bottles are a great idea and will do that also. Thanks for the tips.

 

[adni02]

No problem. This is a great site. Helped me a lot

 

[adni02]

What breeds do you have?

 

[ZainabH]

I actually don't know:
My rooster is very handsome - burnt orange with long blue-black shiny tail and my girls are black and brown spots - 1 has yellow legs and the others have grayish legs. They are not big chickens. Really they area pets. I bought them from the animal Souq when they were babies.