Tips to keeping your flock cool in the summer?

[Gone Quackers]

Its a beautiful day here in Minnesota (85 to be exact), and I can tell that my chickens are way too hot! They are free range and have access to plenty of shade/water, but I was just curious if you guys have any good tips/tricks to keeping your flocks cool in the summer?
Thanks!

 

[crawfordmama]

Hello!

I like to feed my girls frozen peas (or any small frozen veg). I plucked this idea from another BYCer and my girls absolutely love it!

 

[Delilah1337]

I like to freeze fruits and vegies in blocks of ice for my ladies. They love pecking at the ice until they can get to the tasty insides. I have also found Watermelon to be a huge hit as well, they go crazy for anything cold they can munch on

 

[Gone Quackers]

Oh cute! Those ideas are adorable, they would love that

 

[Appylover]

I keep a pile of clean shavings for my flock piled up and wetted down. We are having 95-105 days this last week. Its raining bad here so they are happy chickens with the cool down. For my babies I keep a frozen water bottle in the brooder covered with a rag of course. They lay on or around it most of the time.

 

[remuda1]

I bought a ten foot mister hose. It has five or six emitters on it and I hung it on one wall of their run. They free range, but I leave the run door open so they can access the coop for nest boxes and the run for food and water. When I first put it out there was much panic and rushing around to get out of the mist. Now that they are used to it, they will hang out under it and preen themselves. It cools the area down a good ten degrees I'd say.

I also keep a shallow container of fresh water available. Some just drink from it, the more adventurous go wading.