Too hot help

[Spiritsmeadow]

I lost one of my girls the other night. I’ve been putting them up in their coop and closing the door because they were squawking all night and I thought they were feeling unsafe in their pen. I would put ice bottles up there to hopefully cool down the temperature but when I opened it up yesterday morning two came out and one was laying there. I’m heartbroken. So last night I brought the two girls left into the house to sleep. They seem fine and stopped breathing with her mouths open. But we are going to start hitting temps of 111°. Should I just keep them inside for a few of the hottest hours of the day? They’re locked in a crate with a perch, water and food.
They’re outside pen has plenty of shade, plenty of ventilation, a mister, frozen water bottles, ice water. I’m just wondering if there’s other things I can do to cool them down besides frozen treats, water bottles and a mister? I was thinking about getting a swamp cooler but not sure if that will work outside? everybody at the feed store and other owners that I know around me keeps saying that They’ll adjust and be fine and then I wake up to one dead. I can’t lose another one. I need to figure out something. I need help please.

 

[CityslickerHomestead]

Initially I felt bad for OP that a lot of the responses were shaming them to protect their coop from rodents and not addressing the question of heat stress, but I’m glad to see all the wonderful advice. It’s like, if the bathtub is overflowing, you don’t tell someone to mop the floor, you tell them to turn off the faucet first. It’s tough being a chicken owner, especially in extreme climates such as Nevada.

Yes OP has a lot to work on, as all coops and runs are a work in progress. New chicken owners are always evolving their care as they learn more. My chicken housing situation needs a lot of attention as well, and I live in Montana where it’s over 100F in the day, and then stormy and windy at night.

My one cockerel herds the girls into the coop by 4pm, peak hotness for my area, and refuses to let them out to drink. I have plenty of ventilation, but it still gets to 95F in my coop. I’ve resorted to closing the coop so he can’t shove them in there too early. I reopen it when it starts to get dark.
I frequently replace their dustbath with cool soil/sand to dig down into, give them a constant supply of ice in their water, plenty of waterers and pans of water, filled with mint leaves and ice, and frozen or chilled watermelon, cucumbers, and leafy greens.
I don’t have misters, so if it gets bad I pick them up and place their feet in a pan of cool water, or lightly mist their feet and combs with a gentle spray, since they don’t seem to want to do that themselves.

Good luck, OP. I hope you don’t lose any more.

 

[Spiritsmeadow]

You may not have the experience to know that sometimes chickens just die. They have heart attacks, they have liver failure, who knows why, they just die. The shock is terrible, and I know how you feel. I walked into my coop a few weeks ago to find one of two 2'tall roosters dead. He'd nestled down in bedding on the floor (unusual) and peacefully died that night. The only solace you can find is that at least your hen was not torn apart and eaten by a raccoon or coyote. I had one still alive, eviscerated I shot the raccoon, and then proceeded to trap & kill 94 more. No kidding. Swamp coolers won't work for the outside if I'm understanding you right. I have a ventilation turbine on my coop roof, simple to install and they work great. Keep them indoors if you're worried about the heat, and don't be surprised if they're listless, stop laying, pant and aren't the usual sweet chickens you've raised. We all suffer in the heat. Good luck!

 

[morsekathan]

No...not really!

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I think you need more windows. (I have more windows on my coop (in Maryland) and it's in the total shade.) I think you could cut out a triangle of the wood over the human door and put hardware cloth over it, that would give you a little roof height ventilation. You could put one over the chicken door too. That would give you more cross ventilation. You could probably leave them uncovered in the winter too. Another idea is a ventilation fan in the roof - like people have on houses. Some have a little fan in them that runs from solar. They are not that much. Here's one from Amazon. - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077GQJ9WJ/?tag=backy-20

 

[kubotafoot]

Old timers say survival of the fittest....they will adjust. Sorry, I disagree. Things change and we all know the summers seem to be getting more erratic and winters colder.....Anyhow, I had 10 fans positioned about my barn when we hit 90's and rotated their use. I thought the birds would want to stay OUT of the breeze, but had some French Black Copper Marrans actually back up to them and wiggle!! If you can get a fan moving air in the coop, I would suggest you do it 24/7. If not, I think you are on the right track in getting them inside for a few hours. Remember.....drastic change one way or the other is not good, either, so no super cool air conditioning, but anything cooler and less humid if the way to go in this terrible heat. Also....so sorry for your loss. All we can do as care givers of our animals is our best, and some times, it just isn't enough, Reaching out for suggestions is a wonderful way to go. Many minds add to the pot of knowledge. Thank you for being able to ask for suggestions.

 

[Colette Waddell]

I lost one of my girls the other night. I’ve been putting them up in their coop and closing the door because they were squawking all night and I thought they were feeling unsafe in their pen. I would put ice bottles up there to hopefully cool down the temperature but when I opened it up yesterday morning two came out and one was laying there. I’m heartbroken. So last night I brought the two girls left into the house to sleep. They seem fine and stopped breathing with her mouths open. But we are going to start hitting temps of 111°. Should I just keep them inside for a few of the hottest hours of the day? They’re locked in a crate with a perch, water and food.
They’re outside pen has plenty of shade, plenty of ventilation, a mister, frozen water bottles, ice water. I’m just wondering if there’s other things I can do to cool them down besides frozen treats, water bottles and a mister? I was thinking about getting a swamp cooler but not sure if that will work outside? everybody at the feed store and other owners that I know around me keeps saying that They’ll adjust and be fine and then I wake up to one dead. I can’t lose another one. I need to figure out something. I need help please.

I am so sorry for your chicken loss. I know how hard that is, especially when you feel you've been doing all you can to keep them healthy and happy. When we had triple digit weather I put in a sort of "swamp cooler." I used two cut pieces of wood as a brace, (you can use anything that works such as cinder blocks, etc.) I then placed a big floor fan, face side up on these braces so that the fan would hit the perches. On opposite corners of the fan I placed two frozen water jugs. (Make sure to pull off the plastic caps before freezing). I am lucky to have a place where I could plug in the fan, so a source of power might pose a problem for you. Anyway, the girls seemed to like how this cooled their coop, but I left the door open in case they were more comfortable outside. I have a very secure chicken yard, so I never have to worry about critters getting to them. Hope this helps.

 

[cmom]

That’s just there run if we leave for the day.. at night they go in their coop and stay on the bottom. My one girl only goes up to lay her egg and then comes down. I installed a Roost for them in the coop but they like the pen roosts and get mad at me when I lock them up at night. I sat with them last night with my phone flashlight and they got quiet and we’re fine and we’re walking around eating and drinking inside their coop but I needed to go to bed and the minute I walked away they started screaming at me again. Unfortunately I can’t afford anything that I want and I’m not talented enough to build anything so I just have to make some adjustments to what I have until I can save up for what I want.

I have nightlights in all of my coops. I start the chicks off from the day they hatch with lights. They are used to them and go into their coops fine. I have forgotten before to turn on the electric and some didn't go into their coops but when I did turn it on they all went in. They are not bright lights, they are 1 watt LED's but just enough for the birds.

 

[Charlenesmom]

I lost one of my girls the other night. I’ve been putting them up in their coop and closing the door because they were squawking all night and I thought they were feeling unsafe in their pen. I would put ice bottles up there to hopefully cool down the temperature but when I opened it up yesterday morning two came out and one was laying there. I’m heartbroken. So last night I brought the two girls left into the house to sleep. They seem fine and stopped breathing with her mouths open. But we are going to start hitting temps of 111°. Should I just keep them inside for a few of the hottest hours of the day? They’re locked in a crate with a perch, water and food.
They’re outside pen has plenty of shade, plenty of ventilation, a mister, frozen water bottles, ice water. I’m just wondering if there’s other things I can do to cool them down besides frozen treats, water bottles and a mister? I was thinking about getting a swamp cooler but not sure if that will work outside? everybody at the feed store and other owners that I know around me keeps saying that They’ll adjust and be fine and then I wake up to one dead. I can’t lose another one. I need to figure out something. I need help please.

Do you have a fan for in their coop? A fan blowing on a large block of ice will keep the air cooler.

 

[nancylee679]

I live in S Texas. Summer is hell’s front porch. I have lots of shade and shallow pans of water scattered everywhere. The chickens enjoy standing in the water and have even seen a few squatting in it. Seems to cool them off. I live near the coast so there is usually a breeze. My coop is very well ventilated with full hardwire on two side and upper hardwire on the other sides for more ventilation.

 

[HennyPenny2019]

I lost one of my girls the other night. I’ve been putting them up in their coop and closing the door because they were squawking all night and I thought they were feeling unsafe in their pen. I would put ice bottles up there to hopefully cool down the temperature but when I opened it up yesterday morning two came out and one was laying there. I’m heartbroken. So last night I brought the two girls left into the house to sleep. They seem fine and stopped breathing with her mouths open. But we are going to start hitting temps of 111°. Should I just keep them inside for a few of the hottest hours of the day? They’re locked in a crate with a perch, water and food.
They’re outside pen has plenty of shade, plenty of ventilation, a mister, frozen water bottles, ice water. I’m just wondering if there’s other things I can do to cool them down besides frozen treats, water bottles and a mister? I was thinking about getting a swamp cooler but not sure if that will work outside? everybody at the feed store and other owners that I know around me keeps saying that They’ll adjust and be fine and then I wake up to one dead. I can’t lose another one. I need to figure out something. I need help please.

I hope someone can help you with this, it has been in the high 80s and 90 here. I am also new at this and have only 4 hens, I can imagine how heartbroken this has made you and am very sorry.