Topic of the Week - Keeping Chickens Cool in Summer

[FlyingNunFarm]

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...

Maybe a mister hose? Another poster said they use a pistol style sprayer on low/mist. Not enough to make mud but a damp area.
Other people have used shallow pools. (My birds said no way) Some also put out frozen water jugs for the birds to stand or lay on.
Maybe put a fan out somewhere they could stand in the breeze.
I would say as long as you're giving them options to stay cool that's the best you can do. We've been lucky here that it's so humid, overnight droplets have been collecting. I have damp dirt areas that the birds are sprawled out in during the day.

 

[aart]

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.

Panting is normal, so is holding wings away from body.
As long as they are fairly active, like when you toss a few treats, they'll be fine.
It's when they stop moving upon being stimulated that you need to do something more drastic.

 

[kandi862]

Panting is normal, so is holding wings away from body.
As long as they are fairly active, like when you toss a few treats, they'll be fine.
It's when they stop moving upon being stimulated that you need to do something more drastic.

Thank you that's what I was wanting to know
They are still very active... Just hot

 

[aart]

Yeah, the panting is scary until you get used to it.

 

[scottcaddy]

Thank you that's what I was wanting to know
They are still very active... Just hot

If this pic is of your birds in their shady spot, it looks like they will be ok, that's a lot of cool looking greenery around them.
Scott

 

[lazy gardener]

Offer electrolytes IN ADDITION to their regular water.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I used to give all of the coops their own mini bathing pool by using baking pans or cat litter pans with water and ice cubes in them. They get to liking it and it does cool them off. Plus they love cold watermelon. Plus i would cover the runs with tarps if they were not in the shade.

 

[mobius]

I wonder if they are panting or struggling if dunking them below the neck in water would help...just thinking. I do that with my little pomeranian and it helps him ALOT on the very hottest days but dogs and chickens not the same....
\
Also was thinking of misting....lots of great ideas here thanks!

 

[GC-Raptor]

I wonder if they are panting or struggling if dunking them below the neck in water would help...just thinking. I do that with my little pomeranian and it helps him ALOT on the very hottest days but dogs and chickens not the same....
\
Also was thinking of misting....lots of great ideas here thanks!

My girls caught on to the misting after about 15 minutes when it was in the 90s, they hung out under it most of the day. GC

 

[Owl's flights]

Try putting fans in the coop or misting them with a water bottle