(Well-meaning) human predators in the chicken run, Oh No!

[gtaus]

Nebraska only has two seasons. Hot as Hell, and Hell Freezing Over

Many, many years ago, I spent 4 weeks during the summer in Omaha with my cousins. I can't remember if there was even one day below 100F. But it was a dry heat and I was surprised on how well I was able to tolerate the heat. The problem with the heat in Minnesota is that the temp may be only 85F, but the humidity might be 90%, which makes it miserable. I guess we should use the Heat Index to more accurately compare relative temps.

 

[gtaus]

Wait! WHAT?! Chickens can't talk? Mine never shut up! And I have two that talk in their sleep...

Interesting. My 11 week old chicks hardly make any sounds, except when hungry or scared. Normally, they get on life without making hardly a sound.

 

[gtaus]

...Enjoyed this post! Now I want to get to the lake too.

I have been fortunate to live on a lake and to be able to share with others, especially the young kids.

 

[WthrLady]

Many, many years ago, I spent 4 weeks during the summer in Omaha with my cousins. I can't remember if there was even one day below 100F. But it was a dry heat and I was surprised on how well I was able to tolerate the heat. The problem with the heat in Minnesota is that the temp may be only 85F, but the humidity might be 90%, which makes it miserable. I guess we should use the Heat Index to more accurately compare relative temps.

DRY HEAT?! It wasn't Omaha. We have dewpoints in the HIGH 70s today! We're so humid at 90-100 degrees that we have a foggy haze along with it. It's all the moisture from the corn an soybean fields that evaporates as the plants breathe. Transevaportation. It's nasty. All you do is exude sweat, get soaked, but not cool. It is miserable and there is no wind.

Currently the DP in Brainerd is 69 degrees and temp is 74. SO while it IS humid up there it's not revolting. Here the dewpoint is 78 degrees and the temp is 92. Our heat index is now 103 at 1230.

 

[MROO]

Interesting. My 11 week old chicks hardly make any sounds, except when hungry or scared. Normally, they get on life without making hardly a sound.

They're the ones you really have watch! Don't mistake their calm, quiet demeanor for complacency and total domestication. That quiet murmuring in the corner is your chickens secretly plotting your demise ...
No, wait a minute ... that's cats. You have chickens ... so you're good!

 

[MROO]

DRY HEAT?! It wasn't Omaha. We have dewpoints in the HIGH 70s today! We're so humid at 90-100 degrees that we have a foggy haze along with it. It's all the moisture from the corn an soybean fields that evaporates as the plants breathe. Transevaportation. It's nasty. All you do is exude sweat, get soaked, but not cool. It is miserable and there is no wind.

Currently the DP in Brainerd is 69 degrees and temp is 74. SO while it IS humid up there it's not revolting. Here the dewpoint is 78 degrees and the temp is 92. Our heat index is now 103 at 1230.

Sounds like here on the Maryland coast. Temps in the 90's ... heat index near 110 ... and the County Fair starts Friday. My poor biddies will be traveling and strutting their stuff for the judges this weekend, boor babies. No extra fans are allowed, so we have one cooler full of frozen water bottles and another full of zip-lock bags full of ice cubes. They'll be rotated through our cages all day long. I'll try to get a picture of the ice loungers; my boys know how to "chill!"
A word to the wise for anyone who wants to try this trick: Don't put refrozen water bottles in with your family's food. If you don't have a livestock-dedicated freezer, keep the bottles in a lidded bin, so you don't cross-contaminate your dinner. We actually use empty bottles out of our recycle stock. We fill them with weakly-colored water before super-gluing the lids back on. That way, no one is tempted to drink them and if they spill, the color reminds you to be careful with cleanup. A totally welcome side benefit is that DD does't want the colored water to stain her birds' feathers ... so she cleans it up quicker!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm in MO, and the temp is close to 90 with humidity at about 90%. I am trying not to call my home state Misery, but ... I do miss the desert which was my home for nearly 60 years. I've brought my boy out to fish today and thanking God there is a breeze....remnants of Barry, I think. But I am in the shade and I've got to get this dedicated kid in out of the sun...

 

[MROO]

I'm in MO, and the temp is close to 90 with humidity at about 90%. I am trying not to call my home state Misery, but ... I do miss the desert which was my home for nearly 60 years. I've brought my boy out to fish today and thanking God there is a breeze....remnants of Barry, I think. But I am in the shade and I've got to get this dedicated kid in out of the sun...

What an awesome day! Now ... get off your electronics and make some memories with that boy of yours. He'll remember it more than you can possibly imagine!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

What an awesome day! Now ... get off your electronics and make some memories with that boy of yours. He'll remember it more than you can possibly imagine!

Hm. I spent over an hour getting him all squared away so he could cast a line, he was having a blast. I spent a few minutes sitting in the shade watching him. Thanks.

 

[WthrLady]

Sounds like here on the Maryland coast. Temps in the 90's ... heat index near 110 ... and the County Fair starts Friday. My poor biddies will be traveling and strutting their stuff for the judges this weekend, boor babies. No extra fans are allowed, so we have one cooler full of frozen water bottles and another full of zip-lock bags full of ice cubes. They'll be rotated through our cages all day long. I'll try to get a picture of the ice loungers; my boys know how to "chill!"
A word to the wise for anyone who wants to try this trick: Don't put refrozen water bottles in with your family's food. If you don't have a livestock-dedicated freezer, keep the bottles in a lidded bin, so you don't cross-contaminate your dinner. We actually use empty bottles out of our recycle stock. We fill them with weakly-colored water before super-gluing the lids back on. That way, no one is tempted to drink them and if they spill, the color reminds you to be careful with cleanup. A totally welcome side benefit is that DD does't want the colored water to stain her birds' feathers ... so she cleans it up quicker!

We stopped doing the fair due to our heat in the stock barns. Too many dying animals. Heat index right now is 111 degrees. The barns are all open, but the air is just dead. Our fairground is an hour away and we're in charge of our own stock. Fans don't cut it. The water bottle trick is a wonderful one. I use recycled ziploc bags. Once they leave the house freezer for the chicken house, they never come back in. I also freeze berries and peas. Cold crops are happy chickens.