Topic of the Week - Keeping Chickens Cool in Summer

[jBabychickn]

3KillerBs expressed a concern about dunking them to below the neck just before bedtime. She may be right - I'm not sure. But i found her argument compelling enough to again just dunk the feet & cup to the undercarriage and no further. Three birds I've done this with seemed to like it and they remained calm after getting put back on the roost.
I'll also clarify that I did this right as they were putting themselves to bed, and not once they'd gone into a deep sleep (just in case...).
From now on, I think I'll also bring a light towel to quickly and very lightly soak up excess from their feathers if they seem to need it.
I know some people have given booty baths for very vent feathers, and have deliberately waited to give them soon before roosting time on very hot days, to no I'll effect that they ever saw.

I started dunking feet and cupping some water up to their breasts, only until they stopped panting or slowed their panting significantly, then I put them back up to roost. We also added a fan that blows up underneath them. I think that’s really the lifesaver. They seem to love that air! They all race to get the best spots.

— I’ve also figured out a way to cool my Omlet Eglu by removing the Poop tray underneath and just using the roosting bar tray, so that the outside air is exposed and that fan I mentioned has access to the birds & coop.

— We had to place some hardware cloth over the slot that the tray would normally occupy, but definitely worth the modification. We will just remove cloth whenever the cool weather comes back around and replace the tray to seal the coop back up for warmth.

— Attaching photo to remind you of the Omlet Eglu set-up, and what tray area I’m speaking of looks like… They we’re so hot and sealed up in there before

 

[jBabychickn]

I would disagree with the wind comment, only because I have hens who will sit down in front of the fan. Even when the mister is off because humidity level is to high.

Wind blowing over their combs and waddle removing the heat.

Agreed! I experience the same thing here with my birds!!! My Roo has a real love affair with the fans. Whenever he sees me walk out with one he gets all excited and hogs all the air by laying in front of it…the hens hate him for it…Just kidding!! LOL!

 

[khind]

LIQUID NAILS® Projects & Foamboard Adhesive (LN-604)
Doesn't melt the foam, regular liquid nail is solvent based.

Also, Lowe's or Home Depot have the radiant barrier foam.

Thank you! My metal roof is too tall for the chickens to reach while roosting. Do you know, if I do glue this radiant barrier foam to the metal roof, would i then have to install plywood or something under it (as a dropped ceiling, as it were) for it to work? Or would it work well enough alone?

 

[Tram]

Thank you! My metal roof is too tall for the chickens to reach while roosting. Do you know, if I do glue this radiant barrier foam to the metal roof, would i then have to install plywood or something under it (as a dropped ceiling, as it were) for it to work? Or would it work well enough alone?

If they cannot reach it then don't worry about adding anything else. The Styrofoam will knock out the radiant heat coming from the metal roof. Of course depending on the thickness of the foam.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Can I use this reflective packaging on the south side of my coop?. Or will the chooks get into it and eat it?

 

[Tram]

Can I use this reflective packaging on the south side of my coop?. Or will the chooks get into it and eat it?

I do not have any experience with that material. It doesn't look like something they would mess with. I know they like to peck at Styrofoam. Not sure how long that would last in the sun though.

 

[khind]

Can I use this reflective packaging on the south side of my coop?. Or will the chooks get into it and eat it?

I'm looking at a material like that right now - foil on outside with essentially encased bubble-wrap - to put on the roof of my metal run. But the ceiling is high enough they can't peck at it. I'm checking to see if this might be just as good or better than Styrofoam.

 

[khind]

LIQUID NAILS® Projects & Foamboard Adhesive (LN-604)
Doesn't melt the foam, regular liquid nail is solvent based.

Also, Lowe's or Home Depot have the radiant barrier foam.

Is this what you mean by radiant barrier foam? I'm using Styrofoam in one area as a quick fix, and now I'm looking to finish or redo it properly.
This is what came up when I searched "radiant barrier foam" at Lowes.
What's nice is that this can be attached with adhesive right to the surface such as metal. (In fact, they have a product to insulate garage doors, and I'm going to get some of that as well.) I'm looking now for the exact version that would be applicable to this metal roof.
Have you used this? If so, any notes from your experience?
(The last pic here is of the run ceiling/roof.)

 

[khind]

Idaho Chicken Bungalow:
I talked with someone at the company & I'm installing this material this a.m. I'm installing it to the ceiling of my run, stapled to the supporting beams just below. Did you ever find an answer or something suitable for your actual building?
Even though their website has a lot of info and links to videos and pdf's, I ended up calling and talked to someone at customer service. He was very helpful and nice! Here's info just in case:

 

[JAL]

We have been and will continue to be in the 100s for weeks. Yesterday, I installed a misting cooling system in the run. It uses only a trickle of water and provides a fine mist. Within about 15 minutes the flock stopped panting and started walking around. They have air conditioning!