Thermometer inside coop...

[BoltonChicken]

I am wondering the same thing! how hot is too hot? I am new to chickens

Chickens are tropical birds and can stand great variations in temperature. In summer heat they need the following things:

1. Shade. Under a tree is preferable. Keep them out of direct sun.
2. Ventilation. Lots of air around them. In extreme heat fans are a help if there is no wind.
3. Dirt under them. Dirt "baths" cool them, and they like to make little indentations in the ground to hunker down and cool off.
4. Water. Regular, clean water. It does not have to be ice water, but lots of water.


Other information. Panting helps cool the chicken and is NOT a sign of distress. It is like a human sweating. They also hold their wings out to help remove the heat. No need to panic.
Using a mister is helpful in the desert southwest but is of no use in areas of high humidity. Getting wet cools humans by evaporation which pulls the heat off of our skins. Water
evaporation on a chicken only gets the moisture off the feathers which act as a little raincoat. Does not cool the chicken at all.

Ice water to a chicken just makes us feel better about ourselves but does not matter to a chicken. Same for swimming pools, etc.​

 

[cpwhip]

Thank you!

 

[Nicole01]

Quote:
Chickens are tropical birds and can stand great variations in temperature. In summer heat they need the following things:

1. Shade. Under a tree is preferable. Keep them out of direct sun.
2. Ventilation. Lots of air around them. In extreme heat fans are a help if there is no wind.
3. Dirt under them. Dirt "baths" cool them, and they like to make little indentations in the ground to hunker down and cool off.
4. Water. Regular, clean water. It does not have to be ice water, but lots of water.


Other information. Panting helps cool the chicken and is NOT a sign of distress. It is like a human sweating. They also hold their wings out to help remove the heat. No need to panic.
Using a mister is helpful in the desert southwest but is of no use in areas of high humidity. Getting wet cools humans by evaporation which pulls the heat off of our skins. Water
evaporation on a chicken only gets the moisture off the feathers which act as a little raincoat. Does not cool the chicken at all.

Ice water to a chicken just makes us feel better about ourselves but does not matter to a chicken. Same for swimming pools, etc.

Not all breeds are created the same. My brahma and Cochin can not handle the heat, especially when it reaches over 95. Also, many people lose their chickens once it reaches 100+ degrees F. I walked in my coop to find my flock on the floor, necks stretched, lethargic, and breathing very heavily/panting. It's cooler inside my coop then the run and it was over 100F that day. I thought I was going to lose a few. I had to cool them off.

Once it reaches 85-90, I start taking extra steps to keep them cool. I will completely wet down the run, which is mostly sand and keep the hose on top where the shade screen is and let it drip. I have a big box fan I keep in the coop, but it took a week before the chickens were not scared. Once it hits over 100 with the dewpoint 75 or above, I bring them in the house. I have a setup for them in the basement. I know a lot of people would disagree with bringing them in, but I don't mind at all. I have a small flock and the equipment to do so.

I can not lose any of my girls. They mean so much to me. I'm very happy with the thermometer.

 

[BoltonChicken]

Most chicken breeds can handle 100+ temperatures with no problem. In Henderson's Chicken Breed Chart, Brahmas are listed as "very hardy in heat and cold" so it puzzles me when you say that yours "can not handle the heat, especially when it reaches over 95." The Cochin is listed only as "cold hardy" so the heat may be more of a problem to them, I don't know. However my Orpingtons are listed as "Very cold hardy", and yet have no problems with the heat in central Mississippi at all provided I give them all I have listed in the prior post.

 

[savingpurple]

Never gave a thought to adding the frozen milk jugs in the coop at night. I use them in the outdoor run, and they have yet to figure out they are cooling to lay next too. But they do peck at the moisture that starts to melt, and by standing there I assume it must help cool them whether they get it or not. LOL Thanks for the suggestion !!!!

 

[Patricia Jane]

I just use an outdoor thermometer. Works good. Lets me know the temp.

 

[silkeysandra]

If you are dealing with excessive heat like we are here in texas:
Just went shopping for mister ideas--home depot here is out of mist appliances so we went next to Northern Tool off I20 & Great SW Pky. Got a cool (literally) mister attachment that zip ties onto a fans wire front for 12 smackers! Bought their small black wire front fan for 29, and walked out with a non-oscillating outfit for under 50 bucks!
The mister might fit any fan like a box fan or other you have already. We only had a big box fan but for garage cooling, so another fan was needed. Works fabulous! might sit with chickeys just to enjoy the mist myself!
thout you all would want to know!

 

[Nicole01]

Maybe it's my brahma that has a problem.. My brahma has a harder time then the cochin. Oh geeze, I hope she doesn't have serious health issues, shes my 8 year olds favorite. I keep a sprinkler on the run on hot days. They will walk around in the run when it's on, they love the rain too! It took a few rainy days to get use to it. We have plenty of man made shade, it's trees that work the best! We are planting a row of evergreens along the run this year. Scotch pine seems to grow very well. Or maybe a weeping willow, maple or some other faster growing shade tree.

I'm also curious how cold it will get inside the coop during the winter. We have brutally cold temps, sometimes for weeks at a time. We fully insulated the coop, so it will be interesting to see. I'm really happy with the thermometer though.

 

[galanie]

Quote:
Chickens are tropical birds and can stand great variations in temperature. In summer heat they need the following things:

1. Shade. Under a tree is preferable. Keep them out of direct sun.
2. Ventilation. Lots of air around them. In extreme heat fans are a help if there is no wind.
3. Dirt under them. Dirt "baths" cool them, and they like to make little indentations in the ground to hunker down and cool off.
4. Water. Regular, clean water. It does not have to be ice water, but lots of water.


Other information. Panting helps cool the chicken and is NOT a sign of distress. It is like a human sweating. They also hold their wings out to help remove the heat. No need to panic.
Using a mister is helpful in the desert southwest but is of no use in areas of high humidity. Getting wet cools humans by evaporation which pulls the heat off of our skins. Water
evaporation on a chicken only gets the moisture off the feathers which act as a little raincoat. Does not cool the chicken at all.

Ice water to a chicken just makes us feel better about ourselves but does not matter to a chicken. Same for swimming pools, etc.

I disagree. I have wet down my biggest hen's underside and had her stop panting completely for a while afterward. Also during the heat of mid day my flocks favorite spot is the "wading pool" (really a 5'x3'x3" pan) I have for them in their shaded run. Since I've provided this, they pant less frantically and don't hold their wings out as much.

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
Chickens are tropical birds and can stand great variations in temperature. In summer heat they need the following things:

1. Shade. Under a tree is preferable. Keep them out of direct sun.
2. Ventilation. Lots of air around them. In extreme heat fans are a help if there is no wind.
3. Dirt under them. Dirt "baths" cool them, and they like to make little indentations in the ground to hunker down and cool off.
4. Water. Regular, clean water. It does not have to be ice water, but lots of water.


Other information. Panting helps cool the chicken and is NOT a sign of distress. It is like a human sweating. They also hold their wings out to help remove the heat. No need to panic.
Using a mister is helpful in the desert southwest but is of no use in areas of high humidity. Getting wet cools humans by evaporation which pulls the heat off of our skins. Water
evaporation on a chicken only gets the moisture off the feathers which act as a little raincoat. Does not cool the chicken at all.

Ice water to a chicken just makes us feel better about ourselves but does not matter to a chicken. Same for swimming pools, etc.

I disagree. I have wet down my biggest hen's underside and had her stop panting completely for a while afterward. Also during the heat of mid day my flocks favorite spot is the "wading pool" (really a 5'x3'x3" pan) I have for them in their shaded run. Since I've provided this, they pant less frantically and don't hold their wings out as much.

If it works to keep the birds cool by all means do it.