Topic of the Week - Keeping Chickens Cool in Summer

[khind]

Tarps are iffy because they deteriorate so quickly in the sun and then you have an unusable mess. I highly recommend shade cloth instead. It lasts and lasts. I got mine 6 years ago and it’s up for 7 months a year and it looks like new. I got a light color so it doesn’t heat up much and I am using a double layer to make solid shade over their run.

Thanks. I've been using shade cloth for a year or so - one is dark green, which I like because it actually blocks the strong sunlight - & the other is beige. Already cut up to fit areas. I have far less of the beige than the dark green. I hang the beige cuts to cover the early sun as best I can, and use the dark for the rest.
I agree with the concern about a tarp falling apart. Ugh. Unfortunately I'm looking for a bandaid in this extreme heat until i can solve the problem of the metal roof...
I do have a few large outdoor, UV fabric pieces though, in off- white & light brown. They were our pergola drapes until some field mice got to them, so they're beat up around the edges. I use these pieces already - to fashion an emergency canopy in the nw side around a shade tree. It has helped.
But do you think that if I secured something like that, maybe double-layered, on the metal roof, that it might help? I do hose down that roof 2-3×/day during these extreme temps. Anything that could help from the outside would be great.
I will add that one area of the metal roof I was able to cover with a corrugated, brown (asphalt) piece. It's left on from the winter, when I put it on to help combat frost from forming on the ceiling. It did the trick beautifully, and the ceiling area covered with it was also far less cold than the metal areas. I'm trying to find out if I should be leaving that on in this heat, or replacing it with something else.

 

[3KillerBs]

Unfortunately I'm looking for a bandaid in this extreme heat until i can solve the problem of the metal roof...

My metal roof isn't a problem because I took great care to have airFLOW directly under it to carry the heat away.

But do you think that if I secured something like that, maybe double-layered, on the metal roof, that it might help

Not ON the roof, but OVER it -- hung on a slant so that the hot air can flow up and out between the two. That's how a shade fly for a tent works. The sun heats the upper layer and the air between the layers then the hot air rises out and a cooling current flows between the layers.

 

[khind]

My metal roof isn't a problem because I took great care to have airFLOW directly under it to carry the heat away.

Not ON the roof, but OVER it -- hung on a slant so that the hot air can flow up and out between the two. That's how a shade fly for a tent works. The sun heats the upper layer and the air between the layers then the hot air rises out and a cooling current flows between the layers.

Got it. Thanks for the explanation.
If I could only fit rebar tall enough into my car to put in around the structure to hold up a tarp... I've got to get really creative here...

 

[3KillerBs]

No trees close enough to tie ropes to like you were setting up a camping fly?

Maybe ask around to see if anyone you know has an old tent frame hanging around that you could use parts of?

 

[khind]

No trees close enough to tie ropes to like you were setting up a camping fly?

Maybe ask around to see if anyone you know has an old tent frame hanging around that you could use parts of?

No trees at all close on that west side & too far away on the south side (the hottest sides).
That's a good idea to ask. Might be a chance. Oh my gosh.

 

[high5]

Got it. Thanks for the explanation.
If I could only fit rebar tall enough into my car to put in around the structure to hold up a tarp... I've got to get really creative here...

We're with you, khind.
We had 45°+ (110+) here a couple of weeks ago, and are expecting the same (through so-called climate change) this week? Last time had to put the chickens in the cellar to keep them alive!

 

[khind]

We're with you, khind.
We had 45°+ (110+) here a couple of weeks ago, and are expecting the same (through so-called climate change) this week? Last time had to put the chickens in the cellar to keep them alive!

Oh my gosh...
The heat index reached 109 yesterday, & must be the same today if not worse. Yesterday and today the metal-roofed run reached 104° during the late afternoon! What the....??! I couldn't believe it! Thankfully they've been spending their days outside, but... And I wish I could get the hens' systems to shut down egg-laying for a while, because I know they're not eating nearly enough to support the calcium draw to make those shells.
We don't have basements here. Just a tiny storm shelter. I may need to figure out how to bring them into the hot garage.
I really feel like this is not going to end well.

 

[high5]

Oh my gosh...
The heat index reached 109 yesterday, & must be the same today if not worse. Yesterday and today the metal-roofed run reached 104° during the late afternoon! What the....??! I couldn't believe it! Thankfully they've been spending their days outside, but... And I wish I could get the hens' systems to shut down egg-laying for a while, because I know they're not eating nearly enough to support the calcium draw to make those shells.
We don't have basements here. Just a tiny storm shelter. I may need to figure out how to bring them into the hot garage.
I really feel like this is not going to end well.

I didn't want to alarm you khind. they might be ok, chickens are resilient.
We have some New Hampshires which weren't coping very well with the heat. The Barbezieres were coping better, and the young Malines didn't seem tonotice it.
If you could get an air flow around them, I'm sure they'd be better off.
This hot weather is a real bummer.

 

[3KillerBs]

We're with you, khind.
We had 45°+ (110+) here a couple of weeks ago, and are expecting the same (through so-called climate change) this week? Last time had to put the chickens in the cellar to keep them alive!

I know that a sudden heat wave is much harder on people and animals that aren't accustomed to it and didn't have a chance to get adjusted than it is on people and animals that acclimate to gradually-climbing temperatures.

The heat index reached 109 yesterday, & must be the same today if not worse. Yesterday and today the metal-roofed run reached 104° during the late afternoon!

The good news is that the heat index isn't as relevant to chickens as it is to people. The actual temperature is the thing.

Was that 104 up at your height or down on the ground where the chickens are?

How about running to your nearest Walmart to grab one of these to set up over your coop for that double-roof effect? https://www.walmart.com/ip/Party-Te...g-Garden-Beach-Camping-Patio-S10152/666869091

 

[khind]

Thank you. And my thoughts are with you as this next wave comes your way!!

And just before I read your message, I saw that interior temperature reading which shocked me Because... it was actually Not 104 (that was yesterday), but 109! I remembered wrong when I wrote my previous comment. And I don't see an end in sight to this heat.
We were supposed to get some isolated areas with strong winds today. Got lucky with wind a couple days ago. I can go get a Ryobi fan, I'll just have to think of the best place to set it.

I understand about some birds faring less well. And it can be very alarming! I have RIRs (not purebred), 3 EEs, & a bantam Cochin (who's been broody for over 10 days - horrible timing). One of the EEs I'm watching closely, as well as the broody Cochin.

If I need to, I may block off the roost area & make them all sleep in the run. I haven't done that yet because it causes some of them so much stress to not get up there.

I need to do something about this metal roof. Still thinking on that.