Topic of the Week - Keeping Chickens Cool in Summer

[SuziQ18]

I'm a 1st time chicken mom so I probably over do it but...Every morning I take down a bunch of frozen bottles for them: They get a big frozen jug to stand on, I put a frozen bottle in their water to keep it cool, they get fresh water in their little pool along with a frozen thing to keep it from getting hot. They get ice cubes with fruit or meal worms in them as a treat. They were getting watermelon every day but I think I made them tired of it cuz now their just whatever about it.
I live in Texas where it's hot and humid almost all the time so I worry when I see them panting so hard...View attachment 1055972

I am a new chicken Mom too and you sound just like me!! I don't consider my chickens spoiled, just well taken care of....Love your idea of using the iron plant holder as a "net" for the watermelon! I have one of those and it keeps the watermelon from getting all dirty and trampled! GREAT IDEA!! THANKS!

 

[SuziQ18]

D

I'm a 1st time chicken mom so I probably over do it but...Every morning I take down a bunch of frozen bottles for them: They get a big frozen jug to stand on, I put a frozen bottle in their water to keep it cool, they get fresh water in their little pool along with a frozen thing to keep it from getting hot. They get ice cubes with fruit or meal worms in them as a treat. They were getting watermelon every day but I think I made them tired of it cuz now their just whatever about it.
I live in Texas where it's hot and humid almost all the time so I worry when I see them panting so hard...View attachment 1055972

Do they actually wade in the pool there? I absolutely LOVE the chicken in the sunglasses!!! You should call her Fancy!! LOLOL Buck, buck!!

 

[Sharwig]

All you folks have so many great ideas! I have 13 chickens that have the freedom to free-range on nearly a full acre. I've scattered five large watering stations (1-3 gallons ea) around our yard so there is always one or two that are shaded. I've started adding electrolytes (thanks to a tip I read earlier) a couple times a week. I love the idea of putting a frozen water bottle in the water to keep them cool and will start incorporating that as well! Shade isn't a real problem in our yard -- we have a large pine tree that they love to hang out under; but I recently found an old beach umbrella (the kind with the pole you twist into the ground) so I put that up to provide a little extra shade in one of their favorite corners. Think I'll also incorporate the fan in coop and shallow wading pool ideas. Hopefully, these steps will be enough to keep my chicks happy when the hot, dry Idaho heat really starts taking hold! So far we've only had a couple days above 95, but I know the extreme temps are just around the corner! Thank you all for such great ideas!

 

[MesMama]

I live in Iowa and we have super hot temps sometimes and I do a couple things that seem to work well. I turn on the hose for them, just a trickle but it pools in the low spots which are in the shade and they LOVE it! They hang out in the muddy holes and drink the cool water. I have also given them frozen fruits like watermelon, grapes or berries. I keep a fan going inside the coop all summer to keep a breeze in there, I face it toward the roost and nesting boxes and keep the window open.
Things I've tried that didn't work...a baby pool with water and cement blocks, yeah they wouldn't go near it lol! Ended up full of tadpoles that they had a blast catching, so it was all good. I've also tried putting frozen mixed veggies in with water and freezing it, nope no real interest in that either lol

 

[Beer can]

I just have chickens with half the amount of feathers, they stay cool in the heat all on their own

 

[GC-Raptor]

I just have chickens with half the amount of feathers, they stay cool in the heat all on their own
View attachment 1059881

Yeah, but you need to knit them a scarf for the winter. GC

 

[sassysarah]

I added some poultry nipples to my run. It encourages them to drink more in the heat.

 

[sassysarah]

Yeah, but you need to knit them a scarf for the winter. GC

Really??? Is that a joke or is it true??

 

[GC-Raptor]

Really??? Is that a joke or is it true??

I don't know, will have to wait for the answer from naked neck owners. I just couldn't resist. GC

 

[Beer can]

I don't know, will have to wait for the answer from naked neck owners. I just couldn't resist. GC

They actually do just as good as any chicken in cold weather, hard to believe but they do.
I figured they'd have their heads burried into their chests like turtles freezing, nope.
I was out feeding them in below zeroF this winter, just a open air hoop coop part of one side always open, me bundled up in carhart and thermals, them out in the run of snow flapping their barebreasted wings laughing at me
We get mid 90s some of summer up to 100 sometimes.