Washingtonians

[KMHunter]

No joke, last night I took a rotating full size fan and hung with with an S hook on the ceiling! They did much better after that. I also flipped the light on and gave them all water at 11pm and they were seriously going at that water! I feel awful for them They seem OK so far today but this afternoon is going to be hotter. I might go to WalMart and get a mister for the run, since 2 of the birds won't leave the run/coop (the newbies) yet. They'll go out and lay in the shade for a few minutes at a time and then come right back in the hot run. I'm definitely doing ice in the water today. The shyest bird won't let me come near her though, and I never saw her drink yesterday. She had to have drank something or she'd have died with how warm it was, but I feel bad I can't direct her over to the fresh cold water! I've had them 8 days and they still haven't joined the flock in the yard, just to roost at night

It might be quite awhile before they "join" the rest of the flock. As long as they are not getting picked on and are getting food and water I wouldn't worry. One day you will notice that everyone is running around together for the most part. They might always be a little sub-flock of two, but it should happen with time.

I just put a fan in the coop for my girls when they go to lay. And a big fan in the shed where the babies are. I just want to keep the air circulating.

In a little bit I am going to go put ice in the waterers. Hopefully that will help a little.

It looks like today and tomorrow are the hotest, then it cools down a bit.

 

[KMHunter]

No joke, last night I took a rotating full size fan and hung with with an S hook on the ceiling! They did much better after that. I also flipped the light on and gave them all water at 11pm and they were seriously going at that water! I feel awful for them They seem OK so far today but this afternoon is going to be hotter. I might go to WalMart and get a mister for the run, since 2 of the birds won't leave the run/coop (the newbies) yet. They'll go out and lay in the shade for a few minutes at a time and then come right back in the hot run. I'm definitely doing ice in the water today. The shyest bird won't let me come near her though, and I never saw her drink yesterday. She had to have drank something or she'd have died with how warm it was, but I feel bad I can't direct her over to the fresh cold water! I've had them 8 days and they still haven't joined the flock in the yard, just to roost at night

I have one of those misters that look like a blue coled up hose. You attach a hose to it and it mists out the top. I was given 2 of them several years ago. I don't know why. Gave one to a neighbor for her grandkids. Forgot I had the other till I was cleaning up the shed a few weeks ago. It's free to whomever.

Russ

Kinda like these:

I was looking for those!! Are you far from me?

 

[Imp]

Kim has spoken up for the mister.

I'm in Renton- Benson Hill.

 

[Chickielady]

Wow you guys are chatting like crazy !
I have missed tons~~~~~~~~
Saw Teresa's awesome score on metal nest boxes...

We have totally developed the spring now, and this the driest time of the year, have @25 GPH....so it is filling tanks like crazy, clean, clear & icy cold.

Now, to deal with making it documented......it has been there for who knows how long.all we did was remove the rusty culvert that 'housed' it, and replaced with plastic culvert & sunk a float pump in the hole, new pea gravel....it works great !

Well, back to work for me~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[itsren]

So far a day of problem solving.

The kids played in the sprinkler. The chickens are terrified of the sprinkler. The kids sat on the sprinkler and broke it. The chickens are happy. Mom is not.

I put a fan to blow through the run. Rhodie was in it. I turned it on high at first (that was the first setting). She panicked, couldn't find the door, and started clucking very loudly and running circles in the run. Ooops! I let them stay away from the run for about an hour to calm down, but finally put them back in and shut the door so they can get used to the fan blowing very gently - as gentle as it can blow. The other two seem to be OK. Rhodie is giving the fan stink eye. The run is the shadiest spot I have, so I think that is where they're going to be for a few hours.

I set out a silver dog dish filled with water beneath the patio table and chairs. The chickens each walked up to it to get a drink, they'd see their reflection, jump and run away. The bottom of the dish is now filled with marbles but no chicken has yet been willing to walk up to it
again.

I think I'm beginning to grasp why, when someone is scared, the phrase "Don't be a chicken" is so frequently used.

 

[itsren]

Okay, people...we need a little perspective, here. If the people back east read about our heat worries when we've reached a shocking 80 degrees, they're going to come out here and beat us with our own egg baskets! For them, it's been in the 100-110 degree range with 95% + humidity. Our problem is not so much the temperature itself, as it is the rapid change in temperature. We're kind of like moles coming out of their holes and blinking in the sudden sunlight!

 

[Greg Richardson]

Don't get me wrong I'm glad many of you want only what is best for your animals yet I see burn out coming for quite a few on here.
Worry worry worry.
Chickens are just like people. They adjust.

My Grandpa had hundreds of chickens on his farm located between Elma and McCleary.
I spent summers there weeks at a time with temps many times in the 90's and over a 100.
The chickens had a big barn and free ranged.

Grandpa never did anything special for them but provide water.
Healthy chickens all the time.

Think about it.................... chickens adjust to temps no matter hot in the summer or cold in the winter just like people do.

Takes a bit of time for some maybe a day for others but eventually they get use to it and their body reacts fine just like people.

If chickens become so coddled by so many people then some day sold to a person who expects chickens to do the same thing the way the majority of people raised them been doing year after year what do you think will happen then?

If chickens can't handle Washington's weather well something is wrong as they been doing just that for years long before forums and blogs came along.

It is just like when I was raising discus fish and people were using every med around all worried.
Prevent this, prevent that.
Immunity built up.
And then they wondered why the strains were beginning to not get well when something did go wrong.

You have a right to take care of your chickens any way you want to no matter what I or anyone else thinks.

Yet, what I have observed over the years is burnout happening with people whom worry about every little thing.
Then all of a sudden they fade off into the sunset because the rules they believed had to be kept they read from forums or blogs or what their neighbor told them before they knew it taking care of chickens wasn't fun anymore.

It became something they dread taking over their life.

Something to think about.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Who doesn't like pictures?

Dartha the Black Aussie:

Tilda the GLW:

Pretty sure this "pullet" just crowed this morning (one of the newbies):

Staying cool in the late evening:

Ethel loves to snuggle, pardon the horrible pic:

Me and DD at Snoqualmie Falls yesterday:

Birthday boy, DS turned 6!

YDS and DH

Played in the creek 2 nights ago, woke up next morning and it was completely dry!

OK that's enough. I have like 400 more...LOL!

 

[FirewifeJess]

Greg- you're right; I'm pretty much gonna leave the birds alone today. They have water. They have food. They have lots of shade under all the bushes. They'll be fine!

 

[RaZ]

Okay, people...we need a little perspective, here. If the people back east read about our heat worries when we've reached a shocking 80 degrees, they're going to come out here and beat us with our own egg baskets! For them, it's been in the 100-110 degree range with 95% + humidity. Our problem is not so much the temperature itself, as it is the rapid change in temperature. We're kind of like moles coming out of their holes and blinking in the sudden sunlight!

Think about it.................... chickens adjust to temps no matter hot in the summer or cold in the winter just like people do.

Takes a bit of time for some maybe a day for others but eventually they get use to it and their body reacts fine just like people.

The rapid change is the biggest worry for both people and livestock. We both need a week to 10 days to adapt. There have been several losses here in Michigan due to the sudden spike in temperature. After a week of 100 degree days, today's 85 degrees feels downright comfortable.

From the mid-west to the east coast, we might envy your "mild" temperatures but we aren't about to beat you with your egg baskets. Meanwhile you folks can envy us for the pre-cooked eggs that our hens are laying.