When the peacocks start panting.....you know it 's hot!

[The Chickeneer]

So its summer again in the central valley of CA! Which is also synonymous with the surface of the sun

. I as well as a lot of other people here are running into big problems and I really need some tips to keep on keeping the chickens cool. Just to give you an idea of the situation, tomorrow it is going to be 115 degrees!! Its been burning up here since mid May, but now it's really starting to stress out my animals. I already found a rabbit dead this morning! And we all know rabbits don't do well in heat at all...My poor peacocks are panting like crazy, and peacocks have a reputation for doing well in heat so... They have shade and everything, all the animals do, but there's only so much I can do i guess.

I put ACV in everyone's water because the electrolytes help keep them hydrated, and I put a fan in the main coop, but it doesn't seem to be helping much at all. We have flies gallore so i bought some DE yesterday and sprinkled it everywhere, never used it before so Im not sure how long that takes to kick in. I had to move several rabbits to new pens in the shade, but im still not sure they'l cope. Im thinking about turning on the sprinklers and seeing if it will cool the ducks off if they want to run through them. Last year I tried frozen water bottles for the rabbits, Im thinking of doing it again, but not sure if there is something better I could do. I still need a lot more tips on cooling things down so please post like crazy! Thanks

 

[DanasChicks]

I would be sure to provide large piles of soft dirt for them to burrow down into. Not piled up above the ground level, but dug down into the earth. When it's real hot here, (and yes, the temperature is no where close to as hot as where you are) I find most of the flock is fluttering, fluffing, digging themselves deep into the dirt holes we have under the Oak Tree and along other bushes. They lay in it for hours. So maybe covering their skin with the soft dirt cools them off. Our dogs do the same thing, they dig down into the earth and lay in the dirt when it's super hot and they can't find enough shade.

Hope that helps!

 

[The Chickeneer]

Thanks. Well, my rabbits are in raised cages with wire floors, so I don't think the dirt idea would work...My chickens do take dust baths pretty often, but the dirt is really hot over here and they only bathe early in the morning because by 8:00 its already in the 80's and 90's. I have seen them go under little shady parts like under the grapevines, but even though trees are shady, it can get really hot under there, and they try to avoid it during the middle of the day. I do remember a couple years ago one of my dogs (german sheppherd) dug a hole/ den in the ground that could fit two or three people in side, it was pretty deep and she liked to go in there. Il try the dirt idea thanks!

 

[marktoo]

We are also located in the central valley. Yep, it is a tad bit warm.

We're first time chicken owner's & our pullets are only 15 weeks old so we have very little experience. There are several threads on hot weather & you seem to be using all the methods that have been mentioned. Maybe a mister. Try to to keep the drinking water cool. This is proving to be a challenge for me because although I'm icing the water in the water cooler, the water in the plumbing is getting very warm, so I have to flush the pipes once an hour or so. I need to insulate the pipes.

I had read somewhere that ACV during hot weather may not be a good thing if your hens are laying, something about it inhibiting calcium absorption.

Sorry about the loss of the bunny. Good luck!

 

[QuirkySue]

I'm having the same problem with heat in my coop. 30+ C and expected to hit 35 the next 2 days, whatever that is in f! I am in Canada so that's really hot for us!

It's our first summer and my birds are panting. We have an exhaust fan running and another box fan blowing with plenty ventilation usually but it's not insulated and a tin roof so it's still hot. Today we flushed the water bowls until the water ran cold, put a mister hose through the run for them and sprayed the roof and sides of the coop with the hose to cool down the metal. I'm freezing small containers of water and making trays of ice cubes to get through tomorrow.

 

[marktoo]

Your birds must be used to those northern climes & can't take the heat. Perhaps, they should take their coats off.

The temp peaked here at 111 F that's 43.8 C for you folks way up there. I wouldn't even be concerned at 30 - 35C but if your birds are stressed, they're stressed & you need to act accordingly. Don't think you ever really get used to this kinda heat. I used to do AC work, I'd be on the roof tops in this or worst yet in an attic. Miserable stuff! I avoid the heat like the plague now when ever possible. Good Luck!

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Spray 'em with the house, soak dem feathers!
It got to 90 here (it's hot for us!!!) and the turkey was panting, the hens were panting, so I grabbed the house and SOAKED everyone to the bone. It kinda messes their feathers, so idk if you'd want to do it with the peafowl, but i had them dripping wet and lasted them the day. I'd soak the rabbits too, since they don't do well in heat. It's like a walking ac for them, haha. Just try to use cool water.
But other then that you could give them frozen food as treats, mist them with cool water since the water will probably start boiling them. But seems like your doing everything right. Best of luck, I hate hotness xD

 

[ashcons]

When I lived in CA and my sister and I had rabbits (4H/FFA), we rotated frozen water 2L bottles through the day; one in the morning, a fresh one as soon as we got home from school, another before bed. They were shaded from all but the morning sun and they would just snuggle right up next to the bottles, flopped on their sides enjoying the cool. Having a chest freezer would be a big asset to you in keeping enough frozen water bottles handy and would probably be more efficient than a normal SxS freezer (where the cold air easily escapes when you open the door vs. a top-opening chest freezer).

For your birds, can you put down a kiddie pool with just a couple inches of water and some frozen water bottles in the pool? The chickens, if they aren't too scared of the pool, might enjoy it (you might just have to stick them int he pool a few times for them to get the idea). The ducks certainly would.

 

[ashcons]

Your birds must be used to those northern climes & can't take the heat. Perhaps, they should take their coats off.

The temp peaked here at 111 F that's 43.8 C for you folks way up there. I wouldn't even be concerned at 30 - 35C but if your birds are stressed, they're stressed & you need to act accordingly. Don't think you ever really get used to this kinda heat. I used to do AC work, I'd be on the roof tops in this or worst yet in an attic. Miserable stuff! I avoid the heat like the plague now when ever possible. Good Luck!

We had our AC serviced for a month or so ago. It was warm (high 80s) and very humid after a fairly cool and mild spring so far up to that point. I was out with the repairman and he told me his next job was going to have him up in an attic. I felt pretty bad for him because I was in our attic when it was in the low 70s outside and it was stifling up there! I feel pretty badly for anyone who has to work in an attic in the heat.

 

[aldarita]

My girls are in the shade all the time so I spray some water on the run area where they like to lay, mix the sand (have sand on the ground all over the run) with a rake (not too much water just enough to cool the sand). They really like it there. My run is covered with a roof so it is shady. Also I made my dirt boxes deeper for this summer. We were 107F last Saturday and they were miserable. I am freezing water in a big container and dumping the big piece of ice in a big tray, it takes a while to melt and even after it melts, the water stays cool and they drink it.
I wish everybody that lives in hot areas and keep chickens (like me) the best of luck with their flocks, it is tough and I wish summer would past by quick.