We have had a cold, wet, nasty spring, which quite suddenly tuned into very very hot. The hens are sitting about with their wings out and their beaks open, panting. We want to get a fan to move air through. Can anyone suggest a good fan, or, just things to watch for when buying a fan? Thanks. Catherine (IggiMom)
Hi Catherine. I am a big fan (pardon the pun) of cheap box fans. But I only run them outside the pens on a protected circuit. When it gets really bad, I use a dishpan or tub of ice and set the fan to blow the cool air across the tub and into the pens. Chickens are pretty resilient, so don't spoil them too much!
My girls are doing the same thing - wings out and panting. It sounds like the weather changes in Wisconsin are the same as they are for you. My concern with the fan is drying it out too much? Dust in their eyes and lungs? Maybe I'm over thinking it... So, I'm no help, but actually have the same question - is a fan a good idea?
I personally think fans are a good idea. Been using them through two summers. I have two that go in my coop - a box fan and a double window fan. The double fan has the option of blowing air in or exhausting the hot air out. We also have a fan leftover from the commercial chicken houses. DH jokes about using it in my coop, but I've told him repeatedly that I prefer my hens WITH feathers vs. without.
