Topic of the Week - Keeping Chickens Cool in Summer

[GC-Raptor]

Does this really help when it's humid...like say, 50-80% humidity??

Yes it does. It was mid 90s and humid. I was standing outside the pen near the hose and it felt 20 degrees cooler. It took my girls about 15 minutes to start enjoying it. Before their wings were spread and mouths open. Afterwards they were cool, as you can see in the previous post. GC

 

[aart]

Yes it does. It was mid 90s and humid. I was standing outside the pen near the hose and it felt 20 degrees cooler. It took my girls about 15 minutes to start enjoying it. Before their wings were spread and mouths open. Afterwards they were cool, as you can see in the previous post. GC

I may have to try it here then.
Figured it wouldn't help much, or make things worse, at 80% humidity.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

@aart The giant cube melts slower. That's why I go through the trouble of making them. I can add 1 cube that lasts all day or longer instead of having to add little cubes repeatedly.

 

[scottcaddy]

I never let the fan run overnight, it gets shut off when I lock up after dark.
More of a fire fear than the chickens being in a draft if/when the temps cool overnight,
tho that is a legitimate concern too.

I wonder about freezing bottles...or rather refreezing bottles after they've been in the chicken yard and are not necessarily 'clean' and often filthy....not sure I want that in my freezer and don't really want to clean/sanitize them either.
So you bottle freezers, what do you do?

We have an outdoor critter 'fridge that does all of that stuff without worrying about people food issues. Got it at a 2nd hand store cheep, it was ugly, missing a couple of shelf's, but worked and had good door seals.
Scott

 

[MattyE]

plus they're going to eventually ruin whatever you use

How do they get ruined? They are not that big and are not destructive like a parrot's strong beak can be. Just curious.[/QUOTE]
Ruined is the probably the wrong word, they're perfect condition for chickens, but the containers get filthy even with washing/rinsing and I just use things I would never plan on bringing back in the house. Weather has more to do with it than the chickens sometimes too.

 

[SuziQ18]

I use old baking pans, old dog bowls, take out or heavy duty plastic meat containers. I try to use anything old and smooth or non-porous so it's easy to rinse out with the hose and refill... plus they're going to eventually ruin whatever you use

I like to use those terracotta saucers that go underneath clay pots (the ones with no holes in the middle). The weight keeps them from tipping over.

 

[Feathyr]

Shade, cool water, and 'wading pools' (shallow pans.) I make a point of scrubbing the waterers every day, as biofilm can discourage drinking. A large screened window was installed into my coop last year for extra ventilation. Nobody has overheated yet, so everything must be helping!

Interestingly enough, the ones who suffer the most are the turkeys. I thought all that bare skin on their heads would assist in cooling, but nope! They just about melt if the temperature gets over 70. All I can offer them is shade, cool water and the option to free-range and find their own cool spots.
(Which, unfortunately, tends to be Dad's garage.)

Better not let them see memphis' post, or they'll bully me into buying them a fan.

 

[kandi862]

Need some advice, my chickens have been walking around panting in the heat for the last couple weeks. Free range, shade is available, a cool area in the grass, they have cool water available too. Is there anything else I should be doing? it is about 103 out...

 

[aart]

Need some advice, my chickens have been walking around panting in the heat for the last couple weeks. Free range, shade is available, a cool area in the grass, they have cool water available too. Is there anything else I should be doing? it is about 103 out...

Well, maybe read thru all 9 pages of posts in this thread...Lots of ideas!
Oh, and, Welcome to BYC!

 

[kandi862]

Well, maybe read thru all 9 pages of posts in this thread...Lots of ideas!
Oh, and, Welcome to BYC!

Thank you for the reply, I have been going through it, I have already tried a couple things, They did like the frozen blueberries They are however still panting, is this normal or should I be worried.