ways to keep your flock cool

[chkinut]

hi guys! i know it's only may, but boy is it HOT here! i know the girls are in for more heat come July and August. i was wondering...what are some ways to keep the girls cool. they have plenty of shade, and i'm sure i'll feed them some cool watermelon when the time comes. they are only 5 weeks old at the moment. can you douse them with water? not spraying them, but putting the hose under their feathers for a bit? would they like that? should i add water to their dust bath place? or am i just being ridiculus and i should realize that they don't need ME to cool them off. hubby won't agree to AC in the coop!

just kiddin' on that one!

 

[crittersitter]

I freeze plastic bottles of water and they lay by them or stand on them.That's my "chicken airconditioner".

 

[The Chicken People]

We put a fan in their coop last year and a mister from our hose a few times a day as well as frozen jugs of water and lots of cool clean water to walk in and drink!I even hose the coop down!

 

[tammyd57]

I hose down the run on hot days and the chickens love it! They run back and forth under the sprayer like kids playing in the sprinkler

 

[dawg53]

I did the same thing as The Chicken People did 2 years ago. Last year all it did was rain. But this year it looks like it's gonna be a scorcher like 2 years ago, my fans are ready to go.

 

[redhen]

We put a fan in their coop...

 

[chkinut]

Wow!! what great ideas! ALL of them!!! thanks everyone!

 

[juliawitt]

I have mentioned this several times to my husband and he laughs at me. He thinks the chickens are animals and as long as the windows are open, the run has shade and there is fresh water, that they will be fine. I disagree. I do not see what harm a small fan in the coop can cause, and I like the idea of the frozen water bottles. He is still scoffing, but I'm going to get a small fan and some water bottles on hand, just in case!

 

[chkinut]

oh i can just imagine my hubby and teenage son laughing at me when i pull out the fan! how would they like it if i took away their AC? they wouldn't be laughing then!

i just feel sorry for the girls when they're panting and their wings are out (like they're tryin' to air out their pits!).

 

[txchickie]

I got one of those mister systems on clearance last summer (it was regularly like $40 and I paid $5 for it

) and I plan on putting that up around the run for them this summer. I also put one of those cheap kiddie pools half full of cool water in the run, they stand in it occasionally. Other than that, just shade.

My free range bantams are on their own as far as the heat goes, there's plenty of cool shady spots for them to get in.