Tile cooling station

[Ponte]

Has anybody placed a few tiles in the chicken run in order to help the chickens cool off ?
Am thinking that as long as its in the shade, it should cool the chickens, if they lay on it due to its great thermal conductivity.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Huh. Never thought about that. I've got lots of tile leftover from bathroom remodels. I'll follow this to see what folx say.

I find a sand box in the shade to be very popular with my girls. It regularly gets over 100°F in the summer here. It'll be in the 90s today.

 

[StaffordshireLady]

Has anybody placed a few tiles in the chicken run in order to help the chickens cool off ?
Am thinking that as long as its in the shade, it should cool the chickens, if they lay on it due to its great thermal conductivity.

Is there any chance that will slip over and get hurt?

 

[Ponte]

What gave me the idea is that our hens are constantly going into our tiled back patio. We have lots of shade trees, so shade is not the deciding factor.
As far as slipping and getting hurt, choose a non-slipery tile.

 

[aart]

Tiles could help..I prefer...

BIG(9x14x2") chunks of ice that last all day for wading, sitting, and sipping.

 

[Ponte]

ICe is good but will not last long in my area.
Tile if it’s in the shade will cool the hens down 24 hrs a day.

I placed tiles down yesterday for the hens in the aviary. Today’s high was 95, 103 with humidity factor. Seeing them laying down on it multiple times so think they like it.

 

[IamRainey]

I'm in SoCal. I get 10# blocks of ice and stage them in front of box fans. They last through the worst part of our triple-digit days. And thank god for it! I lost 1 sweet hen to the heat last year. Hope to get them all through it in relative comfort this Summer.

I think it may help that my coop is under the shade of a couple large trees. And I've added double layers of shade cloth to extend the roof overhangs where the shade doesn't naturally fall.

 

[IamRainey]

I placed tiles down yesterday for the hens in the aviary. Today’s high was 95, 103 with humidity factor. Seeing them laying down on it multiple times so think they like it.

Where is it already so very hot?

Happily, we're still a couple months away from the worst of it.

 

[Ponte]

Miami has had scorchers the past few days.
Had an irrigation issue for three days, now the grass is brown.
The aviary is shaded by 16 foot banana plants and a mango tree.

If it remains this hot I may set up a mister system for the hens. Has anyone tried a mister and does it help the chicks ?

 

[aart]

ICe is good but will not last long in my area.
Tile if it’s in the shade will cool the hens down 24 hrs a day.

Gotta use big chunks of ice.

What is the tile sitting on that it stays cool 24 hours...is it bedded in concrete?
Curious too about how thick tile is?