What to do when its SOOO hot outside!?

[emvickrey]

Quote:
DH cut the bottoms off of5 gallon buckets and we use that in the big coop. WE have twice as many hens in there now so we need another bucket but they never turn it over. It's about 9 or 10 inches high and I wash it out and refill it everyday. They will hug around it when it's really hot.

 

[joydel]

I have been trying really hard to keep my girls cool (small flock of six- 3 white leghorns and 3 barred Plymouth Rocks- 19 weeks old). It has gotten so hot here in TX. I put out plastic flower pot saucers filled with fresh water. They take turns standing in the saucers. The saucers get really nasty looking and smelling by late in the afternoon.
I also filled a large unglazed terra cotta clay flower pot with sandbox sand. Soak the outside of the clay pot and the sand with water. As the water evaporates it cools. They enjoy taking turns sitting on the wet sand. Make sure to keep this in the shade. They like to hang around the base of the clay pot. Nothing worse than hot sand. I also spray down a portion of their run when I fill their water dishes. I put a frozen bottle of water in their 3 gallon water jug. Today I added apple cider vinegar to the 3 gal. jug. See if that helps (works). I also placed a frozen 1/2 gallon milk carton in the run this morning. Just not sure where to put it to be the most effective.
Also thinking of getting some shallow cat litter pans and either filling with sand or water.

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

Our run has a roof so it is shaded, floor is sand. When it is hot like this week, I take out lots of frozen bottles. They stand/sit on the bottles and snuggle up to the gallon milk jugs.

Today I tried something different; took the lids off the ones on their sides. The chickens immediately began to dip their beaks in the bottles to see if there was any liquid. They really like the flat sided juice bottles...they sit with their breasts on them.

I empty all the bottles at the end of the day on the sand in the run to dampen the soil for the next day. They dig holes and sit in the damp sand.

So far we are making it. I have some frozen yogurt/bananas to put out...need to make another container since I have 22 chickens and the sex-links more or less take over treats if there are not more than one container.

 

[Ironmaiden]

I'm at work, at my desk just fretting. I will put frozen water bottles in the waterer when I get home, and maybe spray down the run a bit. It will be in the shade by now. My BF says that it will make it more humid if I spray the run, but I think they would enjoy it. They seem to on other posts anyway. 104 here in Kansas and Heat Index of 111. When will it quit???

 

[atimme]

My call ducks have a kiddie pool and today by barred rock was in there up to her breast! I guess when it's hot who cares if you're a chicken, go for a swim!

 

[gritsar]

I change their water out a couple of times a day and replace it with water mixed with alot of ice.
We just added a second fan to the chicks pen. There's a large fan in the adult coop.
My adult flock stays in the woods during the day. I won't see them again until late this evening.

 

[Ironmaiden]

REALLY! Wow. Hmmm. I think I should go and get one of those. I have heard that some like it and some don't. We'll see if mine like to swim!

 

[Ironmaiden]

I do fill their waterers with ice. I think I'm going to just let them out. I mean, I have lost two and I don't want to lose more. I only have 12. I was thinking that when my flock gets larger it would be better and maybe they would be safer? (Chicken logic?)

 

[Tropical Chickies]

Geez, I never thought about putting frozen bottles of water in their water buckets...such a normal thought and it had never crossed my mind!! I live in FL too and it is sooo darn hot and humid some days. Will try some frozen treats to and definately add a fan to their pen. Thanks for the ideas

 

[chics in the sun]

Yeah, I put the frozen bottle in a bit bowl of water, as well as a few ice cubes in the main waterer. When I'm not using it for babies, I freeze the entire smaller waterer so it thaws during the day. And let them out - I am lucky to be off work for the summer, and am home most of the afternoon so I can let them free-range in the yardr. They are good at finding the coolest spots and dust bathing.
What kind of coop do you have? Does it have lots of ventilation - ie, almost no walls (mostly wire), and lots of shade?